FOLIAR APPLICATION OF BORON AND ZINC ON GROWTH YIELD AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF COMMON BUCKWHEAT

Abstract

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is a pseudocereal that is widely cultivated for its nutritional and medicinal properties. boron and zinc are essential elements for plant growth, affecting yield, and seed production. A field experiment was conducted at the biochemistry research field of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University in Dinajpur during the winter season from december 2022 to april 2023. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the impact of foliar application of boron and zinc on the growth, yield, and biochemical parameters of common buckwheat. The treatments included zinc (7 kg/h-1) and boron (2 kg/h-1), while no sprays were used as a control. The experiment was designed based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The seed was applied at a rate of 30 kg/ha-1, and the recommended dose of urea, triple super phosphate (TSP), and muriate of potash (MOP) was applied at a rate of 65, 85, and 35 kg/ha-1, respectively. Results of the experiments showed that foliar application of zinc and boron in common buckwheat resulted in significant variation for several important parameters. Our study found that foliar application of zinc of common buckwheat resulted in a significant increase in plant height (90cm), number of sub-branches (18), However, the application of both zinc and boron through foliar spraying led to a significant increase in the, number of grain per raceme (9), grain settings raceme per plant (46), total number of grain per plant (224), thousand grain weight (16.88), seed weight per plot (486g), compared to the control group. Furthermore, both boron and zinc treatments enhanced the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in common buckwheat, while hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activity decreased. The utilization of various microelements, including boron and zinc, has the potential to enhance the yield and quality of common buckwheat. Moreover, the application of zinc and boron through foliar spraying can be beneficial in increasing seed set and quality, especially in regions with arid and semi-arid climates.