SCREENING OF SUITABLE CHILI VARIETIES FOR ORGANIC CHILI PRODUCTION UNDER MANGO BASED AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Agroforestry and Environment Research Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur, during October, 2016 to March, 2017 to evaluate the varietal performance of chili and organic chili production under mango based agroforestry system. The experiment was conducted in the mango orchard where the tree saplings were planted at the spacing 6 m × 6 m in the year 2006. The experiment was laid out in two factorial RCBD with 3 (three) replications. Factor A (three chili varieties) viz. V1 = Hybrid, V2 = Kajli and V3 = Shity. On the other hand, factor B was four types of fertilizer & manure applications viz. no fertilizer (F1), cow-dung (F2), poultry manure (F3) and chemical fertilizer (F4). There were twelve treatment combinations and there were: V1F1 (Hybrid + no fertilizer), V1F2 (Hybrid + cowdung), V1F3 (Hybrid + poultry), V1F4 (Hybrid + chemical fertilizer), V2F1 (Kajli + no fertilizer), V2F2 (Kajli + cowdung), V2F3 (Kajli + poultry), V2F4 (Kajli + chemical fertilizer), V3F1 (Shity + no fertilizer), V3F2 (Shity + cow dung), V3F3 (Shity + poultry) and V3F4 (Shity + chemical fertilizer). The result of the experiment revealed that plant height (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 DAT), leaf length (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 DAT), leaf breadth (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 DAT), number of leaf/plant (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 DAT), number of shoot/plant (45, 60, 75 and 90 DAT), number of fruit/plant, weight of fruit/plant (g), total number of fruit/plot, total weight of fruit/plot (kg), fruit length (cm), fruit breadth (cm), fruit number yield (t/ha), % dry weight of fruit and yield (ton/ha) of chili were significantly varied due to different chili variety and fertilizer and manure application. In case of main effects of variety, the highest fruit yield (12.99 ton/ha) was recorded from the variety Kajli (V2). On the other hand, lowest fruit yield (5.49 ton/ha) was obtained from the variety Shity (V3). In case of main effects of fertilizer and manure application, the highest fruit yield (12.16 ton/ha) was recorded from the plot where chemical fertilizer (F4) was applied. On the other hand, lowest fruit yield (6.949 ton/ha) was obtained from the plot where no fertilizer (F1) was used. In case of interaction effects of the chili variety and fertilizer and manure applications, the maximum yield (17.09 ton/ha) was obtained from the treatment combination V2F4 (Kajli + chemical fertilizer) and minimum yield (3.54 ton/ha) was obtained from the treatment combination V3F1 (Shity + no fertilizer). Again, from the economic analysis, the highest BCR (3.42) was recorded from the treatment combination of Kajli (V2) + chemical fertilizer (F4). On the other hand, the lowest BCR (1.80) was recorded from the treatment combination of Shity(V3) + no fertilizer (F1) was applied. Moreover, the varietal performance of different chili varieties under mango based agroforestry system ranked as Kajli>Hybrid>Shity and out of the four fertilizer and manure applications chemical fertilizer would be the best fertilizer treatment. Though organic manure (Poultry manure) was given less production than chemical fertilizer, but it is ecofriendly and safe. In safety point of view, organic manure is the best for chili production.