Effect of foliar application of growth stimulants and micronutrients on growth, herbage yield and bioactive compounds in mandukaparni (Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.) under Western Ghats region of Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted at college of Horticulture, Mudigere during 2023-24 to study the effect of foliar application of growth stimulants and micronutrients on growth, herbage yield and bioactive compounds in Centella asiatica. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with twelve treatments and three replications. Among different treatments studied, the treatment T₁₀: Pottassium humate @ 1% + ZnSO₄ @ 0.1% + FeSO₄ @ 0.1% recorded maximum growth parameters such as stolon length(141.77 cm), number of nodes per stolon(17.13), internodal length (16.75 cm), rosette length (22.83 cm), rosette diameter (16.76 cm), petiole length(18.73 cm), number of leaves per rosette (8.73), leaf length (3.90 cm), leaf width (7.24 cm), leaf area (26.80 cm²), chlorophyll-a content (2.91 mg/g), chlorophyll-b content (0.217 mg/g) and total chlorophyll content (4.10 mg/g). Among yield parameters, the treatment T₁₀ recorded maximum fresh (1338.67 g/m²) and dry herbage (277.3g/m²) yield followed by the treatment T₆: Jeevamrutha @ 3% + ZnSO₄ @ 0.1% + FeSO₄ @ 0.1% (1015.33 and 192.92 g/m², respectively). The bioactive compounds was observed to be significantly highest by T₆: Jeevamrutha @ 3%+ZnSO₄ @ 0.1%+FeSO₄@0.1% (3.33% w/w), while, lowest bioactive compounds was observed in T₇ (1.39% w/w). The treatment T₁₀ also recorded the highest bioactive compounds of 77.43 kg/ha followed by T₆ (64.17 kg/ ha). Hence, it can be concluded that, T₁₀ proved to be promising treatment to enhance the overall growth, herbage and bioactive compounds in mandukaparni.