Document Type : Research paper
Authors
1 Rural Reconstruction Foundation (RRF), Bangladesh
2 Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh
3 Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh.
Abstract
This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of thickness of floating beds on the growth and yield of okra, Indian spinach, cucumber and red amaranth, from 2013 to 2014, at Gopalganj district in Bangladesh. The single-factor experiment was conducted as a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. There were three treatments viz. 1.5 m, 2.0 m and 2.5 m thickness of floating bed, the raw material of which was solely comprised of water hyacinth biomass. The thickness of the floating bed was reduced each month due to a gradual decomposition of water hyacinth, and as the rotten material fell into the water and soil. The rate at which the floating bed became thinner accelerated through time. For okra, the maximum plant height (150.67 and 151.77 cm, respectively) was found in response to the 2.5 m thick bed which was significantly similar to the 2.0 m thick bed in both growing seasons. Bed thickness of 2.5 m led to more branches (6.67 and 6.67, respectively), leaves (47.00 and 49.67, respectively), fruits (25.00 and 26.00, respectively), fruit length (14.56 cm and 14.02 cm, respectively), fruit diameter (6.29 cm and 6.08 cm, respectively) and yield (7.99 and 8.09 t ha-1, respectively). Minimum values were observed in response to the 1.5 m thick bed in both years. A similar trend was also observed in the case of other three corps, i.e. Indian spinach, Cucumber and Red amaranth, regarding their growth and yield, as a function of bed thickness. From an economic viewpoint, the 2.0-meter thick bed was found suitable for the production of the said crops.
Keywords
)