FOLIAR FEEDING AND ITS ROLE IN VEGETABLES- A REVIEW

Foliar feeding is characterized by a technique of feeding plants by applying liquid fertilizer directly to their leaves, its ability in uptake of nutrients which has been known for many years. Observed effects of foliar fertilization have included in yield increase, resistance to diseases and insect pests, improved drought tolerance and enhanced crop quality. Plant response is dependent upon the species, fertilizer form, concentration and frequency of application as well as the stage of plant growth. Foliar application is often timed to coincide with specific vegetative or fruiting stages of growth and the fertilizer formula is adjusted accordingly. In terms of nutrient absorption, foliar fertilization can be from 8 to 20 times as efficient as ground application. Foliar fertilization can efficiently supply nutrients during stages of high nutrient demand in crop and upsurge the nutrient content in crop foliage when the physiological efficiency of plant to take nutrients from soil is plummeted. Moreover, used to supplement soil fertilization, foliar fertilization has a great potential to give higher yield under intensive cropping system and also side-by-side enhance the quality, economic aspect, crop tolerance to diseases and drought conditions