Quality planting material generation of early cauliflower in green house for higher production and productivity

Abstract
An experiment was conducted at the greenhouse and in the field of the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat and at Farmer’s field, Korongakhat village, Dhekiajuli, Jorhat for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) to generate quality planting material of early cauliflower in green house for higher production and productivity and to evaluate their performance in the field condition. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with eight treatments comprising of four sowing media [M1-cocopeat (60): vermiculite (20): perlite (20), M2- cocopeat (50): vermicompost (50), M3-cocopeat (50): vermicompost (50): microbial consortium and M4-Conventional nursery] and two varieties [V1 (White Diamond) and V2 (CFL1522)] replicated thrice. In the present study, all the growth parameters at seedling stage were significantly influenced by sowing media. The effect of variety was found significant for days to 2-true leaf emergence, leaf area, seedling fresh and dry weight, seedling growth index and root length. The highest seedling emergence (93.00%) was recorded in sowing media M1 whereas minimum days to transplanting (22.25), maximum leaf area (11.14 sq.cm), stem diameter (0.50 cm), highest seedling fresh (5.44 mg) and dry weight (0.64 mg) was recorded in M2. Minimum days for 2-true leaf emergence (10.75) was recorded by variety V2 while highest leaf area (10.86 sq.cm), seedling fresh weight (4.12 mg) and dry weight (0.43 mg), seedling growth index (1254.49) and root length (4.24 cm) were recorded by V1. Among interactions, M2V1 recorded maximum leaf area (11.97 sq.cm), stem diameter (0.53 cm), seedling fresh and dry weight (5.50 and 0.66 mg) respectively, root length (5.83 cm), relative water content (92.06 %), dry matter accumulation (12.19 %), palisade ratio (1.58); M1V1 recorded maximum emergence (93.79 %), M2V2 recorded minimum number of days (9.50) for 2-true leaf stage, least number of days (22.17) to transplanting, maximum stomata number in upper and lower surface (87.11 and 154.75). The highest curd weight (0.41 kg) and yield (200.22 q/ha) was recorded in M3 and among interactions M3V2 recorded the highest curd weight (0.41 kg) and yield (202.13 q/ha). Similar observations were recorded in Farmer’s field also where media had significant influence for all the parameters and variety showed significant variation for limited parameters. The highest benefit: cost ratio (3.95) was recorded in M3V1 (cocopeat (50): vermicompost (50): microbial consortium and variety White Diamond) while M3V2 (cocopeat (50): vermicompost (50): microbial consortium and variety CFL 1522) registered a B: C ratio of 3.90. Considering the crop performances, sowing media comprising of cocopeat (50): vermicompost (50): microbial consortium (@ 1:100 can be suggested for raising quality seedlings in the greenhouse to get higher yield and maximum return for early cauliflower cultivation.
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