EFFECT OF MULCHING AND POTASSIUM ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CARROT (Daucus carota L.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from November 2019 to February 2020. The experiment consisted of two factors, Factor A: four different mulch materials, M 0 : No mulching, M 1 : Water hyacinth, M 2 : Saw dust and M 3 : Straw and Factor B: four different levels of potassium, K 0 : No potassium, K 1 : 75 kg k/ha, K 2 : 85 kg k/ha and K 3 : 95 kg k/ha, respectively. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Mulching and potassium influenced significantly all the studied parameters. In case of mulching the maximum plant height (45.89 cm) root length (15.85 cm), root diameter (5.02 cm), marketable root yield (31.07 t/ha) were recorded from M 1 treatment. In case of potassium, the maximum plant height (46.46 cm), root length (16.01 cm), root diameter (6.80 cm), marketable root yield (30.04 t/ha) were found in K 2 treatment. Due to combined effect of the highest marketable root yield (35.60 t/ha) was obtained from M 1 K 2 and the lowest (21.69 t/ha) was from M 0 K 0 (control). The highest BCR (2.18) was obtained from the treatment combination of M 1 K 2 where the lowest BCR (1.71) was from M 0 . So, it can be concluded that K 2 (85 kg k/ha) with M 1 (water hyacinth) was the best for carrot cultivation.