EFFECTS OF UREA AND COW DUNG ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF STEVIA (Stevia rebaudiana Bertone.)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI), Regional Sugar crop Research Station, Thakurgaon, Bangladesh experimental farm during March 2023 to September 2023 to study the effect of nitrogen and cowdung on growth, yield and quality of stevia. The trail was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Factor A: (urea) N1: control, N2:100 kg ha-1, N3: 125 kg ha-1, N4:150 kg ha-1. Factor B: (cowdung) C1: control, C2: 5 t ha-1, C3: 7.5 t ha-1and C4: 10 t ha-1. The layout of the experiment was prepared for distributing the treatment combinations in each plot of each block. The unit plot size was 2m×2m. Row to row distance 40 cm, plot to plot distance 50 cm and plant to plant distance 40cm. Data were collected on plant height (cm), number of branch plant-1, number of leaves plant-1, proline content, fresh leaf yield ha-1 (kg), dry leaf yield ha-1 (kg), of stevia. Significant variations were observed on plant height, number of leaves plant-1, number of branch plant-1in different level of urea application. Significant the highest plant height, number of leaves plant-1, number of branch plant-1was observed in N3 (urea125 kg ha 1 ) treatment and the lowest was observed in N1 (control) treatment at 30 DAT to 150 DAT, respectively. Cowdung was the significant effect in increasing height in C4 (10 t ha-1) at 30 DAT to 150 DAT, respectively and the lowest plant height, number of leaves plant-1, number of branch plant-1was observed in control (cowdung) treatment. The highest plant height, number of leaves plant-1, number of branch plant-1 heights was found in N3C4 (urea 125 kg ha 1× cowdung 10 t ha-1) treatment and the lowest was found in N1H1 (with no urea application × with no cowdung application) at all growth stages. Significantly fresh leaf yield ha-1, dry leaf yield ha-1 were observed in N3 treatment and lowest was observed in N1 treatment in stevia production. Significantly fresh leaf yield ha-1, dry leaf yield ha-1 were observed in C4 treatment and lowest was observed in C1 treatment in stevia production. The interaction effect of urea and cowdung in most of the combination should significantly the highest fresh leaf yield ha-1 and dry leaf yield ha-1 was observed in N3C4 treatment and lowest was observed in N1C1 treatment. Thus, the application of urea and cowdung had positive impact on leaf yield components resulted in higher yield of study. On the basis of above result it can be concluded that combine application of urea 125 kg ha-1 and cowdung 10 t ha-1 is might be suitable for stevia production in Bangladesh.