Effect of urea super granule and prilled urea on the growth and yield of broccoli

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur during the period from 2012-13 to verify the effectiveness of urea super granule (USG) and prilled urea (PU)on growth, yield and yield attributes of broccoli in Shallow Red-Brown Terrace Soil under Madhupur Tract (AEZ-28). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications having 5 treatments constituted with different levels of USG and PU as- T₁: Control, T₂: USG-N₁₄₀ (140 kg N as USG), T₃: USG-N₁₆₀ (160 kg N as USG), T₄: USG-N₁₈₀ (180 kg N as USG), T₅: PU-N₁₈₀ (180 kg N as PU). Performance of USG was better than PU and the treatment USG-N₁₆₀ gave the highest yield (13.49 ton ha^-1) which was followed by USG-N₁₈₀ (12.43 ton ha^-1) and PU-N₁₈₀(12.05 ton ha^-1) having significant difference among these. Higher but statistically identical number of lateral head 5.103 and 5.38 was produced by USG-N₁₆₀ and USG-N₁₈₀ treatments, respectively in comparison with PU-N₁₈₀ (5.04). But higher lateral head yields (6.05 and 5.03 ton ha^-1) were found in USG-N₁₈₀ treatments followed by PU-N₁₈₀. All the yield contributing characters and the economic profitability were favorably correlated with these high yield performing treatments with the highest MRR (3336.67%) obtained from USG-N₁₆₀ which indicated that USG @ 160 kg N ha^-1 (USG-N₁₆₀) is the most economically viable N dose in terms of yield and economics for broccoli production. Therefore, USG @ 160 kg N ha^-1 (USG-N₁₆₀) with other recommended fertilizer could be suggested as USG based fertilizer recommendation for better broccoli production in terms of yield and economics in Silty Clay Loam Soil of Madhupur Tract.

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 43(1): 53-69, March 2018