Effect of clipping and diammonium phosphate spray on growth and seed yield of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of diammonium phosphate spray and clipping of the terminal shoot of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata Pers.) plant during summer season of 1998 and 1999 under sodic soil (pH 8.9). The diammonium phosphate (DAP 2% spray enhanced the shoot length, shoot dry weight and branch numberslplant. Clipping either on 25 or 35 days after sowing significantly reduced the shoot length but improved the dry weight of the shoot by increasing the branch numberslplant. The diammonium phosphate spray registered higher seed yield of 18.3 and 18.2% than water spray and 62.6 and 59.0% than the control in 1998 and 1999 respectively. Clipping also improved the seed yield significantly.