Dr. C. M. POLESHISHRISHAIL ARABHAVI2017-12-232017-12-232014-08http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810038041A field experiment was conducted to study effect of zinc sulphate and borax on yield, quality and nutrient uptake by knol-khol (Var.Large Green) in Alfisols under Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka during kharif 2013 in Horticulture block of Main Agricultural Research Station (MARS) at UAS, Dharwad with 17 treatments. The treatments included three levels of zinc sulphate (ZnSO4.7H2O) viz., 10, 20 and 30 kg ha-1 and three levels of boron (Na2B4O7.10H2O) viz., 2.5, 5 and 7.5 kg ha-1 in combination with RDF. There was one control treatment of RDF and treatment with RDF + gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) equivalent to sulpher in ZnSO4.7H2O @ 15 kg ha-1. FYM @ 25t ha-1 was applied to all the treatments. The treatments were replicated thrice in a randomized block design. The effect of these two nutrients individually and in combinations was ascertained at three stages viz., vegetative, knob development and at harvest and also evaluated for the available nutrient status of the soil after harvest of the crop. The growth parameters viz., plant height, number of leaves per plant and dry matter accumulation in knol-khol increased significantly due to soil application of zinc and boron. Application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Borax @ 2.5 kg ha-1 along with RDF (T11) was found superior in terms of growth parameters yield (22.57 t ha-1), net returns (82044 Rs ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.95) compared to that in the control yield (16.52 kg ha-1). The next best treatment was ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Borax @ 5 kg ha-1 along with RDF (T12). Hence, it is advisable to the farming community that application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Borax @ 2.5 kg ha-1 was econo0mically viable for obtaining higher productivity and quality in knol-khol besides maintaining zinc and boron status in soil.enThesis