EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND GIBBERELLIC ACID (GA ) ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CAULIFLOWER

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh, during October 2021 to February 2022 to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) on growth and yield performance of cauliflower (white mountain variety). The experiment consisted of two factors. Factor A: different concentrations of nitrogen (N) as N 0 = Control (No nitrogen), N 1 = 150 kg ha -1 , N 2 = 200 kg ha -1 , N 3 = 250 kg ha -1 and factor B: different levels of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) as G 0 = Control (No GA 3 ), G 1 = 180 ppm, G 2 = 200 ppm. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Significant variation was found for all parameters of cauliflower due to different levels of nitrogen. The tallest plant at harvest (64.12 cm), highest stem diameter (2.39 cm), curd diameter (23.27 cm), dry matter content (12.94 %) and marketable yield per plant (0.95 kg) was found in N 3 (250 kg N/ha). On the other hand, tallest plant at harvest (60.02 cm), highest stem diameter (2.55 cm), curd diameter (21.69 cm), dry matter content (12.06 %) and marketable yield per plant (0.91 kg) was recorded from G 2 (200 ppm GA 3 ). In their combine effect, N 3 (250 kg ha -1 N with 200 ppm of GA 3 ) provide the highest dry matter content (13.77 %) and marketable yield ha -1 (36.24 t). Considering the economic aspect, application of 250 kg ha -1 N with 200 ppm of GA 3 in cauliflower production gave the highest economic return (BCR 2.19).