Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm and in the laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat to study the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and boron on yield and quality of broccoli [Brassica oleracea (L.) var. italica]. A total of 15 treatment combinations, including three levels of fertilizers i. e. NPK (100% recommended dose of NPK, 75% recommended dose of NPK and 50% recommended dose of NPK) and four levels of boron (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 kg B/ha) were laid out in a split plot design with four replications. Experiment revealed that plant yield and quality characters were significantly influenced by NPK, boron and their interaction. It was observed that out of the three fertilizer effects i. e. F1, F2 and F3, the highest head diameter, head weight, total yield (19.29 t/ha), protein, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, leaf and soil NPK and boron were obtained in F1 (100% Recommended dose of NPK). Regarding the boron effect, B4 (2.0 kg B/ha) exhibited the highest head diameter, head weight, total yield (20.73 t/ha), protein, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, leaf and soil NPK. Among the interaction effects of NPK and boron, the yield and quality characters like the highest head diameter, head weight, total yield (25.37 t/ha), protein, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, leaf and soil NPK and boron were recorded in fertilizer F1 with boron (B4) combination. Thus, it can be suggested that the application of 200 kg N, 80 kg P2O5, 60 kg K2O and 2 kg B/ha was found to be suitable for profitable cultivation of broccoli with optimum quality under the agro-climatic conditions of Assam.