EFFECT OF MULCH MATERIALS AND PINCHING ON GROWTH, YIELD AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF CABBAGE

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted in the Horticultural farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from October 2014 to January 2015 to find out the effect of mulching and pinching on the growth, yield and economic benefit of cabbage. The experiment consisted of two factors viz., factor A: four mulch materials denote as M viz., M II

0 = No mulch, M = Black polythene, M 2 = Water hyacinth, M 3 1 = Rice straw and factor B: three pinching date denote as P viz., P 0 = No pinching, P 1 = Pinching at 25 DAT, P = Pinching at 35 DAT. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. In case of different mulch materials, the highest head diameter (20.27 cm), head thickness (13.19 cm), gross yield (83.57 t/ha) and marketable yield (74.88 t/ha) were found from M 1 2 while the lowest head diameter (17.62 cm), head thickness (11.42 cm), gross yield (55.72 t/ha) and marketable yield (46.55 t/ha) from M . For different time of pinching, the highest head diameter (20.49 cm), head thickness (12.87 cm) were recorded from P 0 t/ha) and marketable yield (68.00 t/ha) were recorded from P 0 but highest gross yield (76.40 whereas the lowest head diameter (17.00 cm), head thickness (11.49 cm) from P 2 but gross yield (62.14 t/ha) and marketable yield (52.86 t/ha) from P 0 1 . Due to combined effect, the highest gross yield (95.57 t/ha) and marketable yield (87.36 t/ha) were recorded from M 1 P whereas the lowest gross yield (47.14 t/ha) and marketable yield (37.50 t/ha) from M 2 0 P . The highest benefit cost ratio (3.97) was noted from the combination of M 0 1 P 2 and the lowest (1.88) from M 0 P From growth, yield and economic point of view, it is apparent that the combination of M 0. was suitable for cabbage cultivation.