Effects of irrigation and nitrogen on the yield performance of chinese cabbage

Abstract

Abstract : An experiment was conducted at the research farm of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur during the rabi season of 2003-2004 to determine the optimum frequency of irrigation and amount of water and nitrogen required to obtain the maximum yield of Chinese cabbage The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three irrigation treatments (irrigation at 5, 10 and 15 days intervals) to the main plots and. four nitrogen doses (0, 120, 180 and 240 kg N ha-1) in the sub plots. The growth and yield of Chinese cabbage increased with increasing levels of both irrigation and nitrogen. Highest average total and marketable yield (59.61 and 48.41 t ha'1, respectively) were obtained in the treatment receiving irrigation at 5 days interval (I3). Among the nitrogen treatments the highest average total and marketable yield (62.48 and 51.60 l ha ', respectively) was recorded under the highest N dose of 240 kg ha * (N3). 'flic combined application of the highest levels of irrigation and nitrogen (I3N3) gave the highest total and marketable yield (67.60 and 54.17 t ha"1, respectively). The total water use ranged from 10.3 to 12.4 cm, the highest was in the treatment I3N3 and the lowest in the treatment, where irrigation were given , at 15 days intervals with 0 kg N. ha'1 (I,N0). The treatment I3N3 used a highest of 12.4 cm water. The-water use efficiency varied from 2.86 to 5.09 t ha' cm, the highest efficiency in the treatment I2N3 (irrigation at 10 days interval with 240 kg N ha.*) and the best performing treatment (I3N3) had the water use efficiency of 4.37 t ha ‘cm '. The study suggests use of 5 irrigations at 5 days intervals with 240 kg N ha 1 for optimum yield of Chinese cabbage in silly clay loam soil.