EFFECT OF ORGANIC MANURES AND MULCHING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF BROCCOLI

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during October 2011 to March 2012. The experiment consisted of two factors, Factor A: Three levels of organic manures, viz. O 0 = Control; O = Cowdung (25 t ha -1 ) and O 2 = Spent Mushroom compost (17 t ha -1 ), and Factor B: Four types of mulching, viz. M 0 = Control, M 1 = Black polythene, M = Water hyacinth and M = Rice straw. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The highest stem length of curd, crown length, diameter and weight of primary curd plant 3 -1 , number and weight of secondary curds plant -1 and yield (16.99 t/ha) were obtained from O 2 while the lowest from O . The highest stem length of curd, crown length, diameter and weight of primary curd plant 1 , number and weight of secondary curds plant -1 and yield (14.58 t/ha) were obtained from M 2 while the lowest from M For combined effect, the highest curd yield (18.28 t/ha) was obtained from O 2 M 2 0. and lowest from O 0 M . So, it can be concluded that 17 t/ha spent mushroom compost with water hyacinth mulch is suitable for broccoli cultivation.