S.S. Das
Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
M.S.A Fakir
Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
Canopy structure, Physiological maturity, Vegetable pod, Cajanus cajan.
Field Laboratory, Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh
Variety and Species
The experiment was conducted at the Field Laboratory, Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh (24º75´N, 90º50´E) at the elevation of 18m above the sea level between September 2008 and March 2009. Plant materials: One morphotype of indeterminate or long duration pigeonpea (LDP) viz., Bogra was considered. The field experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The seedlings were raised in poly bag with three seeds in each. The seedlings were transplanted at 12th days after sowing (DAS) in the plot of the main field and thinned to one healthy plant/pit between 18-20 DAS. There were ten plants in a line and constituted a plot. The unit plot size was 15 m2 (10m×1.5m) to accommodate ten pits (50cm×50cm× 30 cm) per plot and one plant per pit. Such three 15 m long-wide borders or ‘Ails’ of field in the Crop Botany Field laboratory were used as plot. Before planting, pits were dug and soils were exposed to sun seven days ahead of sowing. Well decomposed cowdung (1.80 kg/pit) and Triple super phosphate (TSP) (7.5g/pit) were applied as basal dose. Moreover, Urea (9 g/pit) and Muriate of potash (MP) (7.5 g/pit) were also used in three splits as top dress at 20, 30 and 40 DAS as the source of nitrogen and potassium, respectively. The recommended cultural and management practices were followed (Rashid, 1983). Sample and data recording: Flowers were tagged with coloured woolen threads at first opening of flowers, in order to collect data at 0, 5, 12, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47, and 54 days after flowering (DAF). For collecting data at each age (DAF), randomly harvested tagged pods were carefully brought to the laboratory and separated into samples (at least 10 pods/sample) with three replications. At each stage, pod size (length and width), weight (fresh and dry) and seed weight (fresh and dry) were recorded. Total soluble solids (TSS) of fresh seeds were recorded at different ages (DAF) using Refractometer (Model No.N-1E, Series 2111-W10, Atago, Japan) at 20ºC temperature in % Brix unit. Leaflet area was also recorded from atleast 20 leaves from each replication (Leaf area meter, Model LI-3000, Licor, USA). The plants were harvested at 70-80% dry pod maturity and different parts were oven dried at 80°C±2 for 48 hours and weighed. Data on Phenology (days to first flowering, 50% flowering, duration of flowering, days to maturity), Canopy structure (plant height, stem diameter, number of primary and secondary branches, leaflet area, canopy spread), growth (number of nodule/plant, biomass of plant parts) and yield (number of pods /plant, number of seed/pod, pod and seed weight /plant, 100-fresh and dry seed mass, shelling ratio of pod to seed weight) attributes were recorded. Statistical analysis: Different ages (days after flowering, DAF) of the pods were used as treatments. As such 8 ages (DAF) were considered as treatments. Analyses of variance of different data were performed with the help of computer package MSTAT and ‘F’ variance test. The mean differences were evaluated by least significance difference test.
J. Agrofor. Environ. 4 (1): 55-58, 2010; ISSN 1995-6983
Journal