GROWTH AND YIELD RESPONSE OF TURNIP TO VARIOUS NITROGEN APPLICATION RATES

Nitrogen is one of the essential macro-elements for plants. However, excessive use of nitrogen in crop cultivation decreases nitrogen-use-efficiency (NUE) of plants and mediate environmental pollution. Hence its optimum use needs to be analyzed critically. We conducted a field experiment during 2014-15 to evaluate the growth and yield response of turnip to various nitrogen (N) application rates. The trial was carried out at the experimental area of the Horticulture garden, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam in a three replicated randomized complete block design. The growth and yield related traits of turnip were assessed using five N rates (0, 50, 80, 110 and 140 kg N ha-1). The results exhibited that there was a significant improvement in growth and root development traits with the application of each N level. We observed improvement in plant height (36.46 cm), number of leaves (16.47), fresh weight of leaves (72.64 g), fresh weight of a single root (106.17 g), root yield (15.77 kg plot-1) and root yield (15063 kg ha-1) at higher level of N (140 kg ha-1). However, the results of all these traits remained statistically similar to the results obtained from the plants receiving 110 kg N ha-1. Hence, it can be concluded that the turnip crop may be fertilized with N @ 110 kg ha-1 for obtaining better growth and root development.