International Journal of Farm Sciences 5(1) : 51-55, 2015 Effect of soil application of Zn, Mn and Mg on growth and nutrient content of large cardamom, Amomum subulatum Roxb at Sikkim BA GUDADE, KN HARSHA*, AK VIJAYAN, P CHHETRI, TN DEKA, SUBHASH BABU** and RAGHAVENDRA SINGH** ICRI, RRS, Spices Board, Tadong, Gangtok 737102 Sikkim, India *ICRI, RRS, Spices Board, Sakleshpur 573134 Karnataka, India **ICAR, RC, NEH Region, Sikkim Centre, Gangtok 737102 Sikkim, India Email for correspondence: bgudade@gmail.com ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted during 2012-14 at research farm of ICRI, RRS, Kabi to find out the effect of soil application of Zn, Mn and Mg on growth and nutrient content of large cardamom. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design comprising of eight treatments viz ZnSO 4 (5 kg/ ha) , ZnSO4 (10 kg/ha), MnSO 4 (10 kg/ha), MnSO 4 (5 kg/ha), MgSO4 (10 kg/ha), MgSO 4 (5 kg/ha), ZnSO4 + MnSO 4 + MgSO 4 (10 kg/ha) and control. Soil application of ZnSO4 + MnSO 4 + MgSO 4 (10 kg/ha) resulted in significantly higher number of immature tillers (2.99 and 3.19) and mature tillers (2.86 and 3.11) during both September 2013 and March 2014 and vegetative buds (2.56). Nutrient status in soil with ZnSO4 + MnSO 4 + MgSO 4 (10 kg/ha) proved its superiority and its effect was statistically non-significant on available Fe and B in soil. Significantly higher Mg (0.45%) and Mn (487.37 ppm) content in leaf was recorded with ZnSO4 + MnSO 4 + MgSO 4 (10 kg/ha) and significantly higher Zn (54.41 ppm) content in leaf was recorded with ZnSO 4 @10 kg/ha. Keywords: Soil application; Zn; Mn; Mg; large cardamom; growth; nutrient content INTRODUCTION Large cardamom belonging to family Zingiberaceae and cultivated in Sikkim Himalayas since time immemorial is believed to be the native of the state. Popularly known as Bada Elaichi in Hindi and Alainchi in Nepali it is one of the world’s ancient spices. Sikkim is the largest producer of large cardamom constituting lion share of the Indian and world market (Gupta et al 2013). It is grown in the tracks up to 1000 to 2200 m amsl with well distributed rainfall spread around 200 days with a total of about 3000-3500 mm/year (Gudade et al 2013b and Gudade et al 2014). Large cardamom is a sciophyte ie the plant is grown under shade (Gudade et al 2013c and Gudade et al 2013a). It is essentially a cross-pollinated crop due to the