Iron Foliar Fertillization on Mungbean Production in Alkaline Soil

Abstract

Two consecutive field experiments were conducted in early and late monsoon seasons in 1999 at Nakhon Sawan farmer’s field (Chai Badan soil soil series; f, smec Leptic Haplusterts) to study the effect of iron foliar fertilization on two mungbean cultivars. The experiments were designed as a split plot whith 4 replications. Two mungbean cultivars namely Kamphaengsaen 2 and Chaninat 72 were used as a main plot ; two sources of iron fertilizer namely FeSO4.7H2O (19%Fe) and Fe-EDDHMA (16%Fe) ; three rate of foliar applications at the rate of 1, 3, 5 kg/rai wrer sub plot. Mungbean were grown at a spacing of 50x20 cm with 3 plants/hill, plot size was 4x6 m and harvested area was 2x4 m. Basal fertilizer were applied at the rates of 3-9-6 kg N-P2O5-K2O/rai and foliar fertilizer were sprayed 5 times at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 days after mungbean emergence. Results from the experiment were shown that the yield of Chainat 72 at 150 kg/rai obtained, was higher than Kamphaengsaen 2 which was only 76 kg/rai. Foliar spray of FeSO4.7H2O and Fe-EDDHMA significantly increased of yield Kamphaengsaen 2, the response rate were 3 and 5 kg/rai respectively. However, the iron foliar application didn’t significantly increase the yield Chaninat 72.