Effect of soil application of Zn, Mn and Mg on growth and nutrient content of large cardamom, Amomum subulatum Roxb at Sikkim

A field experiment was conducted during 2012–14 at research farm of ICRI, RRS, Kabi to find out the effect of soil application of Zn, Mn and Mg on growth and nutrient content of large cardamom. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design comprising of eight treatments viz ZnSO₄ (5 kg/ha) ZnSO⁴ (10 kg/ha), MnSO₄(10 kg/ha), MnSO₄(5 kg/ha), MgSO₄ (10 kg/ha), MgSO₄(5 kg/ha), ZnSO₄ + MnSO₄ + MgSO₄(10 kg/ha) and control. Soil application of ZnSO₄ + MnSO₄ + MgSO₄(10kg/ha) resulted in significantly higher number of immature tillers (2.99 and 3.19) and mature tillers (2.86 and 3.11) during both September 2013 and March 2014 and vegetative buds (2.56). Nutrient status in soil with ZnSO₄ + MnSO₄ + MgSO₄ (10 kg/ha) proved its superiority and its effect was statistically non-significant on available Fe and B in soil. Significantly higher Mg (0.45%) and Mn (487.37 ppm) content in leaf was recorded with ZnSO₄ + MnSO₄ + MgSO₄ (10 kg/ha) and significantly higher Zn (54.41 ppm) content in leaf was recorded with ZnSO₄ @10 kg/ha.