M. A. Rouf
Senior Scientific Officer
Senior Scientific Officer, Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari, Bangladesh
M. A. Rahim
Professor
Professor, Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
M. A. Siddique
Professor
Professor, Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
M. B. Meah
Professor
Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
Cauliflower, Seed production, Polytunnel, Mosquito net, Low temperature seed treatment
In the laboratory and Horticulture Farm of the Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh
Seed Technology
The experiment was conducted both in the laboratory and Horticulture Farm of the Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh during the years 2002-2003, 2003-2004, and 2004-2005 in order to achieve the desired objectives. The land selected for the field experiments was medium high land. Dhaincha (Sesbania rostrata) was grown during the kharif season before the cauliflower cultivation in the first year while in the second year the land remained fallow preceding cauliflower cultivation. The soil of the area belongs to the Old Brahmaputra alluvial tract under AEZ 9 of Bangladesh and was silty loam in texture (sand=13.6 %, silt=71.4 % and clay= 16.0 %). Soil analysis before the crop cultivation showed pH 6.90. Mechanical analysis of the soils of experimental field (0-30cm depth) was performed in the Humboldt Soil Testing Laboratory, Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University. The experiment consisting of 9 treatment combinations such as Factor A : 3 Growing conditions i.e. (i) Polytunnel covered with transparent polythene (P), Tunnel covered with mosquito net (N), Open field (O) and Factor B : 3 three kinds of low temperature treatment of seeds i.e. Seed treatment at 50C for 30 days in refrigerator (S1), Seed treatment at 100C for 30 days in refrigerator (S2), Seed with no cold treatment, i.e., remaining in ambient temperature (S0) were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. In each replication the land was divided into nine plots for nine treatments. There were altogether twenty seven plots.
The size of a unit plot was 3.0 m × 2.4 m accommodating twenty plants per plot with a spacing of 60 cm × 60 cm. Plot to plot distance was provided 50 cm while the replication to replication distance was 1.0 m. The cauliflower seed crop requires heavy manuring as it uptakes large quantities of major nutrients from the soil. A balanced dose of manure and fertilizer was applied for the experiment as follows-well decomposed cowdung, urea, TSP, MP, borax and Sodium molybdate @ 20000kg, 150kg, 250kg, 220kg, 15kg and 2.0kg per hectare respectively. The whole amount of TSP and half of the compost were incorporated to soil during final land preparation. The total amount of Borax, sodium molybdate, remaining half of compost and 1/3 of each urea and MP were applied to the pit as basal dose while the rest of urea and MP were applied as top dressing in two equal installments of 21 days and 45 days after transplanting. One additional dose of urea and MP (100 kg each per hectare) were applied during flowering for the seed crop of cauliflower. The seedlings just after transplanting were irrigated. Irrigation were given according to the soil requirements and climatic conditions. The crop after transplanting was irrigated daily by a watering can up to 4-6 days and then twice a week and later once a week. Adequate moisture supply during growth and curding phase, flowering and seed development was ensured to maintain an even growth and proper development of curd and obtain high yield. The crop was irrigated within 3-4 days of mulching and fertilizer application excluding the irrigation related experiments. Excess water during the rain was drained out immediately to avoid water stagnation.
The other intercultural operations and plant protection measures were taken as and when necessary. The crop was transplanted as per treatment and layout of the experiment on 25 October, 2002 with 40 days old second transplanted seedlings of cauliflower cv. Poushali and was harvested on 2-5 April, 2003. Data were collected at different stages of growth and development, harvesting time, seed yield and germination of seed. Then, they were analyzed by using statistical package programme MSTAT-C in the computer to illustrate the statistical significance of the experimental results. Means for all the treatments were calculated and analysis of variance for all the components was performed by F-variance test. The significance of differences among each other within the parameters was separated by Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5% and 1% level of significance for interpretation of the results (Gomez and Gomez, 1984). For graphical representation, in case of days to curd initiation, days to curd maturity, days to 50 % flowering and days to harvest only the mean values obtained from each character were plotted in the graphs.
Bangladesh J. Seed Sci. & Tech. 16 (1 &2): 67-74 (2013) ISSN 1029 - 8800
Journal