S. N. Mozumder
Scientific Officer
Regional Horticulture Research Station, RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong
A. S. M. H. Rashid
Scientific Officer
Regional Horticulture Research Station, RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong
T. K. Paul
Senior Scientific Officer
Regional Horticulture Research Station, RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong
M. K. Jamil
Scientific Officer
Regional Horticulture Research Station, RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong
Cauliflower, Curd yield, Profitabilty.
Horticulture Research Station, RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong
Crop-Soil-Water Management
The experiment was conducted at the Regional Horticulture Research Station, RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong in consecutive three years from October 1997 to April 2000. The soil was silt loam with 5.9 pH and 0.7% organic matter. The total N, available P, K, S and Zn contents were 0.068%, 3 ppm, 0.15 me%, 10 ppm and 2 ppm, respectively. There were 14 treatment combinations comprising four levels each of S (0, 12, 24, 36 kg/ha), Zn (0, 2, 4 & 6 kg/ha), Mo (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 kg/ha) and B (0, 1, 2 & 3 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in a RCB design with three replications. Seedlings were transplanted in the 3.6x3.6m unit plots accommodating 36 plants per plot in six rows with 60x60cm spacing. The popular local open pollinated cauliflower cultivar “Bailtali” was used in the experiment. It is a high yielding, mid season cauliflower variety capable to produce profuse seeds in the Chittagong area. Seeds were sown on mid-October and one month old seedlings were transplanted in mid-November in 1997 and 1999, it was delayed by 2 weeks in 1998 due to late rainfall in the experimental area. The nutrient elements S, Zn, Mo and B were supplied in the form of gypsum, zinc oxide, molybdic acid and boric acid, respectively. A common dose of manure and fertilizers were applied at the rate of well decomposed cowdung 5 t, N 120 kg, P2O5 80 kg and K2O 120 kg/ha. The total quantity of cowdung was applied during final land preparation. The full amount of TSP, gypsum, molybdic acid and boric acid, and the half of each urea and MP were applied as basal doses in the pit while the rest of urea and MP were applied as top dressing in three equal installments at 15, 30 and 45 days after transplanting. Other intercultural operations e. g. weeding, mulching, irrigation were done whenever required. The crop was free from insect pest infestation so that no control measures were taken. Data on days to curd initiation, plant height, number of leaves per plant, size of bigger leaves and weight of curd per plant were recorded from 10 randomly selected plants from the inner rows of the plots. Curd yield and profitability were calculated from the weight of curds/plant. Economic calculation was done on the basis of local market price of inputs (fertilizer, seedlings, laborer etc) and output (Tk 8/kg curd). All the data were analyzed statistically. The polynomial regression analysis was done and optimum dose of nutrient elements for the maximum yield and economic yield were calculated from simple polynomial regression equations i e. Y = + 1x + 2x2 (Zaman et al. 1982). Here x is the independent variable (nutrient element) and Y is the dependent variable (yield). The optimum dose of nutrient element for maximum yield is X = -1/22 and economic dose were Xe = X – (Px/Py)/22. Here Px is the price of input (nutrient element) and Py is the price of the products.
Bangladesh J. Agric. Res. 29 (2): 185-192.
15000/-
Journal