Effects of Nitrogen Application Rates on the Yield of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) in Kitchen Gardens

Healthy eating habits in urban lifestyles can be encouraged by mobilizing communities to grow vegetables in kitchen gardens. This study focuses to economically optimized dosage for radish production in our backyards. Nitrogen fertilizers at the six different rates ( i.e. 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha -1 ) were tested in kitchen gardens of radish. A direct relation of quality and yield of radish with rate of nitrogen application was identified. Although the highest yield of radish was obtained with the application of 200 kg ha -1 nitrogen (99.98 t ha -1 ), the most effective dose of nitrogen was identified to be 150 kg ha -1 because at this rate highest increase in yield per unit fertilizer applied (25.78%) was recorded where as nitrogen application at 250 kg ha -1 had the least yield increase ratio (14.21%) with a negative MRR. A direct correlation was observed between rate of nitrogen applied number of leaves and root-shoot which ultimately increased the yield. Hence it is concluded that application of nitrogen at 150 kg ha -1 could be a best both in terms of biological and economical yield of radish in backyards.