EVALUATION OF CAULIFLOWER GENOTYPES UNDER DIFFERENT SOWING DATE
Abstract
The present study was made with a view to evaluate five cauliflower genotypes viz., CL-170, CL-171, CL-172, CL134
and
BARI
Fulcopi-1
as
well
as
to
observe
the
effect
of
sowing
dates
viz.,
August
25,
September
5
and
October
25
on
growth
and
yield
of
cauliflower
genotypes
during
two
consecutive
winter
seasons
of
2012-13
and
2013-2014,
respectively
under Sylhet conditions at the experimental field of Horticulture Department of Sylhet Agricultural
University. Variation of seedling characteristics in relation to seedling height, number of leaves per seedling, leaf
length and leaf breadth was observed among five cauliflower genotypes. Days to first curd initiation and days to first
harvest were significantly different among the genotypes of which CL-171 was the earliest to first harvest (81.0
days) while the genotype of BARI Fulcopi-1 require 94 days to first harvest. The genotype BARI Fulcopi-1 had the
highest whole plant weight (1.13 kg) and marketable curd weight (0.66 kg). However the genotype CL-172
produced the highest only curd weight (0.48 kg) closely followed by CL-171 (0.46 kg), among the five genotypes
the BARI Fulcopi-1 produced the highest marketable curd yield (22.44 t/ha) followed by CL-172 (20.4 t/ha).
Sowing time had significant influence on growth and yield of cauliflower. The first curd harvest was lowest for the
plant grown from October 5 sowing (86.25 days) while it was the highest for the plants in August 25 sowing (91.58
days). The highest whole plant weight was recorded from the plants of August 25 sowing (0.78 kg) while the highest
individual curd weight (0.48 kg) and only curd weight (0.31 kg) was recorded from September 15 sowing. The
plants in September 15 sowing produced the highest curd yield (16.32 t/ha) followed by August 15 sowing (15.64
t/ha). Whole plant weight, marketable curd weight and only curd weight were significantly influenced by the
interaction of genotypes and sowing dates. The highest marketable curd was harvested from the genotype of BARI
Fulcopi-1 (20.74 t/ha) when grown from September 15 sowing which was followed by the same genotype from
August 25 sowing (18.7 t/ha).