Effect of foliar application of micronutrients and biofertilizers on growth, yield and quality of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) under irrigated conditions

Abstract:

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar application of micronutrients and bio-fertilizers on growth and yield attributes of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with twelve treatments comprising foliar sprays of ZnSO₄ (0.5%), borax (0.2%) and FeSO₄ (0.5%) combined with seed inoculation of Azotobacter and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB). The results revealed that micronutrient application along with bio-fertilizer inoculation significantly improved growth and yield attributes of linseed. The treatment ZnSO₄ 0.5% + PSB (T₆) recorded the highest plant height (93.20 cm), branches per plant (7.40), dry matter accumulation (13.80 g plant^-1) and leaf area index (2.82) at harvest. Yield attributes were also significantly improved under this treatment, recording the maximum number of capsules per plant (67.30), seeds per capsule (9.60) and test weight (8.50 g). Control treatments consistently recorded the lowest values for all parameters. The improved performance under micronutrient and bio-fertilizer treatments may be attributed to enhanced nutrient availability, improved photosynthetic efficiency and better physiological processes in plants. The study indicates that integration of foliar micronutrients with bio-fertilizer seed inoculation is an effective strategy to enhance growth and yield attributes of linseed under field conditions.