EFFECT OF SPACING AND MULCHING ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF CHINESE CABBAGE (Brassica campestris var. pekinensis)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in the Horticulture farm of Sher-e Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from October 2006 to December 2006 to study the effect of different plant spacing and mulching on growth and yield of Chinese cabbage. The experiment considered of two factors. Factor A: Plant spacing (3 levels): S1 (50 cm x 20 cm), S2 (50 cm x 30 cm) and S3 (50 cm x 40 cm); Factor B: Mulches (3 levels) Mo (No mulching/control), M1 (Water hyacinth mulch) and M2 (Black polythene mulch). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on different yield contributing characters and yield were recorded. Different spacing and mulch materials showed significant variation on yield and yield contributing characters. The maximum fresh weight (399.92 g/plant) of unfolded leaves, gross yield (91.00 t/ha), marketable yield (77.67 t/ha) were found from the combined effect of S2M2 (50 cm x 30 cm spacing + black polythene mulch) and those of minimum were recorded from S1Mo (50 cm x 20 cm spacing+ no mulch). From the result it was ensured that the treatment combination of S2M2 (50 cm x 30 cm spacing + black polythene mulch) performed the highest yield than other treatment combination but the treatment combination of S2M1 (50 cm x 30 cm+ water hyacinth mulch) was more profitable because of availability of water hyacinth than those other mulch treatment. The maximum benefit cost ratio (2. 71) was recorded from the treatment combination of S2M1 (50 cm x 30 cm spacing + water hyacinth mulch) and the minimum (1.17) was obtained from S3M0 (50 cm x 40 cm spacing+ no mulch material).