EFFECT OF SPACING AND FOLIAR APPLICATION OF CHITOSAN ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF CABBAGE

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the “Horticulture Farm” of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during November, 2019 to March, 2020 to study the effect of spacing and foliar application of chitosan on the growth and yield of cabbage. The experiment consisted of two factors. Factor A: Three spacing viz., S = 60 × 35 cm, S 2 = 60 × 45 cm and S = 60 × 55 cm and Factor B: Four levels of foliar application of chitosan viz., C 0 3 = Control, C 1 = 100 ppm, C 2 = 150 ppm and C = 200 ppm. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were recorded on growth, yield components and yield of cabbage and significant variation was observed for most of the studied characters. In case of spacing, the tallest plant height, maximum spreading of plant, number of loose leaves per plant, weight of loose leaves per plant, fresh weight of plant, diameter of head, thickness of head, fresh weight of head, dry matter percent and cabbage yield (60.90 t ha -1 ) was observed from the treatment S (60 × 45 cm) and minimum was from the closest spacing 60 × 35 cm (S 1 2 ). In case of foliar application of chitosan, the highest plant height, maximum spreading of plant, number of loose leaves per plant, weight of loose leaves per plant, fresh weight of plant, diameter of head, thickness of head, fresh weight of head, dry matter percent and yield of cabbage (63.23 t ha -1 ) were observed from the treatment C (foliar application of chitosan at 200 ppm) and minimum was from control (C 0 3 ) treatment. In case of combined effect of spacing and foliar application of chitosan, S 2 C (60 × 45 cm + foliar application of chitosan at 200 ppm) gave the highest yield of cabbage (70.06 t ha 3 -1 ) and least from the S 1 C (60 × 35 cm + control) treatment combination. So, the treatment combination S 2 C 3 0 (60 × 45 cm spacing with foliar application of chitosan at 200 ppm) was found to be most suitable combination for the potential yield of cabbage.