EFFECT OF SPACING AND BUD PRUNING ON THE GROWfH AND YIELD OF BRINJAL (So/anum melongena L.)

Abstract

study was undertaken to find out the effect of spacing and bud pruning on the growth and yield of brinjal (cv. 'Khotkhotia'), The experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, during March to September 2006. Three different spacing S1 (60 cm x 60 cm), S2 (80 cm x 80 cm) and S3 (100 cm x I 00 cm) and three types of bud pruning; P0 (without pruning), P1 (pinching off of the lateral bud), P2 (Pinching off of the terminal bud) were tested. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Increasing the spacing increased the number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, number of flowers per plant, average number of fruits per plant and individual weight of fruit. Number of branches ( 14.11 ), number of leaves (I 00.2) and length of lamina (19.2 cm) was the highest in S3. Number of flowers (12). number of fruit (18.47) and individual weight of fruit (90.24 g) was the highest in S3• The closest spacing S gave the highest number of fruits per plot (68.50) but the total yield of fruit per plot was the highest in S3 ( 1677 g). Neither spacing nor bud pruning had any significant influence on the plant height of brinjal. P2 produced the highest number ( 17. 7) of branches and leaves (I 0 I. 78). P 1 gave the largest size (88.84 g) of fruits compared to P2 (84.47 g). The result of the present study showed that the widest spacing (S3) and lateral bud pruning (P gave the highest yield per plant. Further study could be undertaken with spacing higher than S3 (100 cm x 100 cm) and pinching off of the lateral bud