EFFECT OF BORON AND NITROGEN ON YIELD AND HOLLOWSTEM OF BROCCOLI

A field experiment comprising six levels of boron (B) (0. 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 kg/ha) and two levels of nitrogen (N) (100 and 200 kg/ha) was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Raikhali, Rangamati Hill District during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2004-05 and 2005-06 to find out the suitable doses of B and N for higher yield and good quality head of broccoli. There were twelve treatments replicated three times. Boron application increased plant height, number of leaves per plant, length and width of the leaf, plant spread, main head weight and head yield both per plant and per hectare significantly up to 1.5 kg/ha. Nitrogen application at higher dose (200 kg/ha) also significantly gave higher values for all growth and yield attributes as well as yield. Interaction effect of these nutrients was also found significant on all growth parameters except width of leaf, yield attributes and yield. Maximum yield per hectare was obtained at 2 kg B plus 200 kg N per hectare which was at par with 1.5 kg B plus 200 kg N per hectare and 1.5 kg B plus 100 kg N per hectare. The latter combination (1.5 kg B/ha + 100 kg N/ha) gave the lowest hollow stem in broccoli during both years. Response curve indicates 1.59 kg B/ha as optimum dose for this crop.