EFFECT OF AGE OF SEEDLING AND SPACING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF KNOLKHOL

Abstract

A field investigation was carried out at the Horticulture Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh from October, 2009 to January, 2010 to study the effect of seedling age and spacing on the growth and yield of Knolkhol cv. Early005. The treatments consisted of three seedling ages (25, 35 and 45 day old seedling) and three spacings (25cmx25cm, 30cmx30cm and 35cmx35cm), thereby making nine treatment combinations. The two-factor experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Most of the yield components and yield were significantly influenced by different levels of seedling ages and spacings. Twenty five day old seedling gave the highest yield (22.57 t/ha) of knob and the lowest yield of knob (15.74 t/ha) was obtained from the 45 day old seedling. Increased spacing was found to increase the knob yield, plant height, number of leaf/plant, breadth and length of the largest leaf/plant, leaf area index, diameter and thickness of knob. All those parameters were found to be maximum at 35cmx35cm spacing except total yield per hectare. The maximum yield of knob (23.74 t/ha) was obtained from minimum plant spacing (25cmx25cm) while the minimum yield of knob (16.32 t/ha) was recorded in 35cmx35cm spacing. The combined effect of seedling age and spacing was statistically significant for growth and yield of Knolkhol. The highest knob yield (27.51 t/ha) was obtained from the combination of 25 day old seedling and 25cmx25cm spacing, whereas the lowest knob yield (11.59 t/ha) was recorded in 45 days old seedling and 35cmx35cm spacing. Results of this experiment showed that 25 days old seedling and 25cmx25cm plant spacing were suitable for Knolkhol production.