Effect on Mungbean Yield of Fertilizer as a Foliar Spray and Soil Application

Abstract

The effect on mungbean yield of an N.P.K. fertilizer mixture was compared when applied directly to the soil by banding and when applied as a foliar spray. Three soil treatments were examined; a non-fertilized control and an mixture of ammonium phosphate, single superphosphate and potassium chloride to give a N : P2O5 : K2O application rate of 18.75 : 56.25 : 37.5 kg/ha in one instance, and 37.5 : 112.5 : 75.0 kg/ha in another. The foliar application comprised and N : P : K mixure in the ratio of 15 : 30 : 15 in a solution at concentration 50 g/20 litres solution; three spray treatments were examined, zero, two and four aplications. The first application was given at three weeks and then at weekly intervals as required. The soil was an infertile, sandy-loam in the Korat series at Khon Kaen in Northeast Thailand. There was no statistically significant response to the foliar method of fertilizer application. A yield increase of 111 percent resulted from the higher fertilizer rate and 44 percent from the medium rate, when the fertilizer was hbanded directly to the soil.