Effects of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers and Their Combination on Growth, Yield and Quality of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. ‘Italica’)

The application of a balanced fertilizers is essential to produce high-quality broccoli. A field experiment was conducted to find out the appropriate fertilizer management practice for broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) to get higher yield and quality. The experiment comprised ۲۴ treatment combinations with six fertilizer management practices [T۱= Control (No fertilizers), T۲= Cow-dung (۱۰ t ha-۱), T۳= Poultry litter (۱۰ t ha-۱), T۴= Recommended chemical fertilizers (NPK), T۵= Cow-dung (۵ t ha-۱) + Recommended chemical fertilizers (۵۰%) and T۶= Poultry litter (۵ t ha-۱) + Recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (۵۰%)]. The highest plant height (۶۰.۰۰ cm) was found in T۶, highest stem length (۲۲.۲۵ cm) in T۴, maximum number of leaves plant-۱ (۲۲.۰۰) in T۴ and T۶ treatments. Maximum fresh leaf weight plant-۱ (۶۰۹ g), stem diameter (۳.۹۸ cm), curd diameter (۱۶.۶۳ cm) and individual curd weight (۴۹۴.۵۰g) were observed under T۵ treatment. The optimum yield (۲۵.۷۸ t ha-۱) of broccoli can be obtained by application of cow dung (۵ t ha-۱) with a recommended dose of ۵۰% inorganic fertilizer NPK (T۵). The maximum TSS value (۱۰.۵۴%) was found in T۳, which was statistically similar to T۶ (۱۰.۵۲%). Vitamin C content (۸۰.۷۷ mg ۱۰۰ g-۱) was found significantly superior in T۴ treatment (۱۰۰% recommended dose of NPK) and the minimum of one (۵۳.۸۴ mg ۱۰۰ g-۱) was observed in control treatment (T۱). Applying cow dung @ ۵ t ha-۱ with the ۵۰% recommended dose of NPK fertilizers (T۵) caused the superior yield values of broccoli.

Keywords:

Broccoli , Curd yield , Fertilizers and manures , TSS. , vitamin c