Biofertilizing Efficiency of Brown and Green Algae on Growth, Biochemical and Yield Parameters of Cyamopsis tetragonolaba (L.) Taub.

Abstract

The effect of liquid extracts of marine algae Sargassum wightii and Ulva lactuca when applied as soil drench to cluster bean plant increased the growth, biochemical and yield of the plant. Liquid extracts of Sargassum wightii (1.5%) and Ulva lactuca (1.0%) was found to have maximum influence on growth parameters viz., shoot length, root length, total fresh and dry weight, leaf area and moisture content. Further, there was a significant increase in biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic pigments, protein content, amino acids, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, nitrate reductase activity. Similarly, enhancement in yield parameters such as number of pods per plant, pod weight, pod length and number of seeds per pod were also observed. Higher concentrations of both algal extracts were found to show inhibitive effect on all above parameters studied.