SHADE INDUCED EFFECT ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT CAULIFLOWER (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) VARIETIES

Abstract

In agroforestry system, light is a limiting factor for maximum crop production. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted in the Field Laboratory of the Department of Agroforestry and Environmental Science, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka- 1207, during the months of October 2020 to March 2021 with three cauliflower varieties viz. V 1 (Chandi), V 2 (Snow White), V 3 (Indian Crown) under four shade treatments/light intensities, [100%, 75%, 50% and 25% light intensity which indicate control (S 0 ), S 1 , S 2 and S 3 , respectively] to evaluate their morpho-physiological and growth performances. Low light stress [mainly 50% light intensity (S 2 ) and 25% light intensity (S 3 )] substantially reduced the germination rate, plant height, plant weight (fresh and dry weight), leaves number, leaf length, leaf width, flowering dates, stem diameter, photosynthetic performance (SPAD value) of different cauliflower varieties. However, considering the obtained findings Snow white variety showed less negative performance than the other varieties under shaded condition. So, among the tested cauliflower varieties Snow white might be suitable for shaded condition with low light intensities.