Effect of Foliar Micronutrient Application on Growth, Physiological Traits and Flower Yield of Jasminum multiflorum (Pink Kakada)

Micronutrients play an essential role in regulating plant growth, physiological processes and
flower production in ornamental crops. A field experiment was conducted during 2019–2020
at the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, to evaluate the influence of foliar application of micronutrients
on the growth, physiological characteristics and flower yield of Jasminum multiflorum (L.)
Burm. f. cv. Pink Kakada. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design
comprising nine treatments with three replications. Healthy, uniform three-year-old plants were
maintained under recommended agronomic practices, and foliar sprays were applied at 30-day
intervals during the crop growth period. The treatments consisted of control, ferrous sulphate
(0.25%), zinc sulphate (0.25%), boric acid (0.20%), manganese sulphate (0.25%), FeSO₄ +
ZnSO₄, FeSO₄ + boric acid, ZnSO₄ + boric acid and FeSO₄ + ZnSO₄ + boric acid. Significant
differences were observed among the treatments for vegetative growth, physiological and
biochemical attributes and flower yield. The combined application of FeSO₄ (0.25%) + ZnSO₄
(0.25%) + boric acid (0.20%) (T₉) recorded the highest plant height (94.82 cm), plant spread
(99.85 cm), leaf area (15.08 cm²), phenol content (10.84 mg g⁻¹), protein content (12.58 mg
g⁻¹), nitrate reductase activity (3.08 µg NO₂ g⁻¹ h⁻¹), specific leaf weight (0.352 g cm⁻²), dry
matter production (886.42 kg ha⁻¹), number of cymes per plant (268.54) and flower yield (13.96
t ha⁻¹). The results demonstrated that the combined foliar application of iron, zinc and boron
significantly enhanced vegetative growth, physiological efficiency and flower productivity of
Jasminum multiflorum cv. Pink Kakada and may be recommended for improving commercial
flower production.