Foliar Application of HYPER Bio-stimulant Improves Growth, Yield and Soil Nutrient Status of Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) under Vertisols
A field experiment was conducted at the Agriculture Research Station, Achalpur, District Amravati, under Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, during the kharif 2024-25 season to evaluate the efficacy of HYPER on the growth, yield and soil nutrient status of blackgram (Udid). A plant bio-stimulant is any substance applied to plants to enhance nutrient-use efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and crop-quality traits, regardless of its nutrient content. The field topography was fairly uniform and levelled. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with six treatments and four replications. The mean number of seeds per pod (5.45) was significantly higher under Urea Briquette and T5: RDF + HYPER at 2.5 ml/litre of water. Grain yield was significantly highest under T6: RDF + HYPER at 3 ml/litre of water (1196.23 kg ha-1), and it was at par with T4: RDF + HYPER at 2 ml/litre of water (1151.91 kg ha-1). RDF + HYPER at 3 ml/litre of water recorded the highest grain yield (1196.23 kg ha-1), followed by RDF + HYPER at 2.5 ml/litre of water (1165.03 kg ha-1). Growth parameters, including plant height, number of branches and pod characteristics, improved significantly with HYPER application. Post-harvest soil nutrient availability also increased in treated plots, with the highest available N (213.25 kg ha-1), P (18.14 kg ha-1) and K (652.85 kg ha-1) recorded under T6. The findings indicate that RDF + HYPER at 3 ml/litre of water significantly enhanced blackgram productivity and post-harvest soil fertility under Vertisol conditions.