Effect of boron on growth, nutrition and fertility status of large cardamom in Sikkim Himalaya, India

Field experiment was conducted at Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Spices Board Kabi research farm North Sikkim to find out the effect of Boron nutrition on growth, nutrient content and soil fertility status of large cardamom. The experiment was laid out in RBD comprising seven treatments (T1 soil application of borax@2.5 kg ha-1 ,T2 soil application of borax@5.0 kg ha-1, T3 foliar application of borax@0.25%, T4 foliar application of borax @0.5%, T5 foliar application of borax@0.25%+ soil application of borax@2.5 kg ha-1, T6 foliar application of borax@0.5%+ soil application of borax@2.5 kg ha-1 and T7 control). Results reveal that foliar application of borax@0.5%+ soil application of borax@2.5 kg ha-1 recorded the maximum values of immature tillers per clump (2.98 and 3.95) and mature tillers per clump (2.99 and 3.11) during both September, 2013 and March, 2014 and vegetative buds per clump (2.90 ). With regards to nutrient content in leaf of large cardamom among the treatments, foliar application of borax@0.5%+soil application of borax@2.5 kg ha-1 recorded highest nutrient acquisition However, its effect was statistically non significant on K, S, Ca, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe content and significant on N(2.59%), P (0.18%), Mg (0.39%) and B (15.45 ppm) content in leaf.