INFLUENCE OF STARTER SOLUTION AND MULCHING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF BROCCOLI

Abstract

A field experiment was accomplished in the Horticulture farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from October 2018 to March 2019 to study on influence of starter solution and mulching on growth and yield of broccoli. The experiment comprised of four levels of starter solution viz., S

(Control), S 1 (1% Starter solution), S 2 (1.5% Starter solution) and S (2% Starter solution) and four levels of mulching viz., M ii

0 (no mulch), M 1 3 (Black polythene), M

(Water hyacinth) and M (Rice straw) were used in this experiment arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on different growth and yield attributes parameters were taken in which all the treatment showed significant variations. In the case of starter solution, maximum plant height (71.41 cm), number of leaves (15.35), canopy spread (78.86 cm) and weight of primary curd (416.41 g) were recorded from S 3 (2% urea solution) treatment. In the case of mulching, maximum plant height (73.02 cm), number of leaves (16.00), canopy spread (80.81 cm) and weight of primary curd (442.24 g) were recorded from M 1 3 (Black polythene) treatment. The maximum yield (19.67 t/ha) was recorded from S (2% Starter solution) and on the other hand, the lowest yield was 14.83 t/ha) obtained from S 3 . Significantly higher yield (21.00 t/ha) was recorded from M 1 0 (Black polythene) while the lowest yield (12.88 t/ha) M

treatment. In the case of the combination effects the maximum yield (24.07 t/ha) was recorded from the treatment combination of S 3 M while the lowest yield was (11.87 t/ha) recorded from S 0 M 0 1 treatment. The economic analysis revealed that 2% starter solution with Black polythene treatment was the best combination in respect of net return (604339 Tk.) with a benefit cost ratio of (2.69), it was apparent from the above results that the treatment combination of S 3 M was more profitable than rest of treatment combinations.