OPTIMIZATION OF NITROGEN REQUIREMENT FOR BROCCOLI (Brassica oleracea var. italic L.) FROM ORGANIC AND INORGANIC SOURCES

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the research farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from October 2008 to February 2009 to find out the ideal integrated Nutrient Management (INM) treatment to maximize the yield of Broccoli. The field experiment had 12 treatments each I having three replications. The treatments were T, No fertilizer, T 2 : 0% N from farm yard manure (FYM) + 100% N from Urea (150kg N/ha), T 3 10% N from FYM +90%N from Urea. T 4 :20%N from FYM + 80% N from Urea, T from FYM +70%N from Urea, T6 :40%N from FYM +60%N from Urea, T7: 50%N from FYM +50%N from Urea, T g :60%N from FYM +40%N from Urea, T 9 : 70% N from FYM + 30% N from Urea, T 10 : 80% N from FYM + 20% N from Urea, T,, : 90%N from FYM+ 10%N from Urea and 112: 100% N from FYM (30 ton Cowdung/ha) + 0% N from Urea. Plant height at 20, 40 and 60 days after transplanting, no. of leaves, length & breadth of leaves, diameter and height of curd, diameter of curd & stem, plant canopy, weight of primary & secondary S curds and yield of broccoli were studied. The treatment combination T6 (400/oN from farm yard manure + 600 /oN from Urea) showed the maximum significant value of all the parameters studied. The highest yield of 17.18 tfha was obtained in the treatment T. From the economic point of view the treatment T (cowdung 12 ton/ha and urea 90 kg/ha) was found to be the most suitable. The treatment T 6 also had the highest nutrient concentration and nutrient uptake by broccoli. This treatment also favored significant increment of N, P and K of post harvest soil.