To study the effect of foliar application of urea fertilizer on the growth and yield of tomato and to find out the optimum concentration of foliar application of urea for maximum growth and yield of tomato, an experiment was conducted with different concentrations of foliar application of urea fertilizer, namely, 2500, 5000, 7500, and 10000 ppm. The experiment was laid out by a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Results showed that different yield components and yield of tomato were influenced by the foliar application of different concentrations of urea. The maximum plant height (132.6 cm), number of leaves (30.73), number of green leaves per plant at harvest (21.08), days to first flowering (28.94), number of flower clusters (11.89), number of flowers (75.18), fruit clusters (5.81), fruits per cluster (4.14), and fruits per plant (21.49); length (4.72 cm), diameter (6.58 cm), and weight of individual fruit (151.0 g) were significantly influenced by the 10000 ppm concentration of foliar application of urea fertilizer. The 10000 ppm application gave the highest yield (63.69 t/hm 2 ) with the lowest (28.48 t/hm 2 ) in the control treatment. The yield per plant as well as per hectare increased with increasing concentrations of foliar application of urea fertilizer.

The study was conducted at Jashore Sadar Upazila, Bangladesh during 2019-20 and 2020-21 to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic nutrient sources on yield, quality and shelf life of broccoli through Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and ten treatments which were: T1 = Soil test based 100% NPK, T2 = Vermicompost 4 t ha-1 + soil test based 50% NPK, T3 = Vermicompost 2 t ha-1 + 100% NPK, T4 =Tricho-compost 2 t ha-1 + 100% NPK, T5=FYM 6 t ha-1 + 100% NPK, T6 = Tricho-compost 4 t ha-1 + 50% NPK, T7 =FYM 12 t ha-1 + 50% NPK, T8= Vermicompost 1 t ha-1 + 125% NPK, T9= Tricho-compost 1 t ha-1 + 125% NPK, T10= FYM 3 t ha-1+125% NPK. Completely Randomized Design was designed to determine the shelf life of broccoli with three replications considering three factors; (i) Organic and inorganic nutrient sources; (ii) storage materials at room temperature (iii) storage materials at cold storage. Findings revealed that treatment T3 produced significantly maximum marketable curd yield 30.57 and 30.23 t ha-1 and the highest Benefit Cost Ratio (3.70 and 3.66) in the respective years. The treatment T2 effectively increased post-harvest quality attributes and also recorded the highest shelf life 8.36 and 8.55 days at room temperature (14-240 C with RH 60-65%), 26.33 and 27.25 days at cold storage (4° C with RH 90-95%) condition using High -Density Polyethylene (HDP; 15 micron) vacuum pack during the years of 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively.

The water-bodies of shrimp/prawn farm are known as “gher” and the embankments of the gher are known as “Dyke”. Recently, vegetable production on the Dykes is gaining popularity in the southwest coastal region. The main purpose of the study was to identify the present status of Dyke Vegetable Production (DVP) in gher and to determine the problem confrontation associated with DVP. Data were collected from randomly selected 84 respondents (50% out of 168 gher owners) of five selected villages of Mollarhat upazila under Bagerhat district, through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested interview schedule during February to April, 2018. Collected data were analyzed by using SPSS software for different statistical techniques and for obtaining results and subsequent interpretation for satisfying the mentioned purpose of the study.Most (86.9%) of the respondents had medium to large sized Dykes, and thus the respondents could bring their Dyke area under vegetables cultivation instead of keeping fallow year after year. The gher owners harvested on an average 218.47 kg vegetable and earned 3,383.807 Tk. annually from one decimal Dyke area which is an additional income. The gher owners who have large sized Dyke in ghers continued production due to high quantity of cumulative profit. About half (51.19%) of the respondents grown lady’s finger in the Dykes during lean period followed by brinjal (48.81%) and tomato (47.61%). The respondents produced 53,962.09 kg ha-1 which is completely extra production contributing to food security. A number of 29 problems were identified as confronted by Dyke vegetables growers with different extent of severity. The most severe problem in Dyke vegetable farming in the study area was “lack of technical knowledge for identification of diseases”. Most of the respondents (96.4%) belonged to medium problem confrontation category. Among 13 selected characteristics of the respondents only annual family income showed a significant positive relationship and extension contact showed a negative significant relationship with the problem confrontation. The gher owners confront medium problems and appropriate measures should be undertaken to reduce these problems as minimum as possible. Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.6(1): 69-78, April 2019

This study was conducted at the farmer’s field of Jashore Sadar Upazila, Bangladesh during the Rabi seasons of 2020-2021 to evaluate pre-harvest foliar application effects of mineral nutrients on yield, quality and shelf life of broccoli. The experiment was designed in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), including three replications and seven treatments for field study which were: T1=control, T2=Ca@o.30%, T3=B@o.30%), T4= Zn@o.30%, T5=Mo@o.30%, T6=Mn@o.30%, and T7= (Ca+B+Zn+Mo+Mn)@o.30%. In order to determine the shelf life of broccoli, a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was conducted with three replications considering three factors; (i) pre-harvest foliar application of mineral nutrient sources; (ii) room temperature along with storage materials, and (iii) cold storage along with storage materials that were used accordingly. Findings revealed that the effects of pre-harvest foliar application of mineral nutrients had a significant influence on the yield, post-harvest quality, and shelf life of broccoli. The treatment T7 (Ca+B+Zn+Mo+Mn)@o.30% produced significantly in all respects of yield contributing attributes denoting curd length, diameter, and marketable curd yield of broccoli. The same treatment effectively increased post-harvest quality attributes such as color, compactness, texture, dry matter, fats, carbohydrates, energy, vitamin C, antioxidants, and phenols content in the curd. In addition, the treatment also recorded the highest shelf life of 7.25 days at room temperature (14-240c with RH 60-65%) and 24.33 days at cold storage (40c with RH 90-95%) conditions within a High-Density Polyethylene (HDP; 15 micron) Vacuum pack.

A study was conducted at Chanchra, Sadar Upazila, Jashore, Bangladesh during Rabi seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21 to evaluate pre-harvest treatments of inorganic nutrient sources on yield and shelf life of broccoli through Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and six treatments which were; T1= soil test based 50% NPK with blanket dose, T2=soil test based 75% NPK with blanket dose, T3= soil test based 100% NPK with blanket dose, T4=soil test based 125% NPK with blanket dose, T5=local farmers practice (N138 P75 K94 S27 Zn5 kg ha-1),T6 = control.Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was designed to determine the shelf life of broccoli with three replications considering three factors; (i) pre-harvest treatments of inorganic sources of nutrient; (ii) storage materials at room temperature and (iii) storage materials at cold storage condition.Findings revealed that the effects of different inorganic sources of nutrients significantly influenced on yield and shelf life of broccoli. The treatment T3 (soil test based 100% NPK with blanket dose) resulted in better marketable curd yield with maximum gross returns, net returns and Benefit Cost Ratio(BCR) as compared to other treatments. The treatment T1  (soil test based 50% dose of NPK with blanket dose) recorded the maximum shelf life  of 6.57 daysand 6.83 days at room temperature (14-240C with RH 60-65%) and 23.65 days and 24.25 days at cold storage (40C with RH 90-95%) condition using High -Density Polyethylene (HDP;15 micron) vacuum pack  during the years of 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively. SAARC J. Agric., 20(1): 131-141 (2022)

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of dhap residue and nutrient sources on the growth and yield of red amaranth, radish and garlic during the period from October, 2013 to February 2014 and October, 2014 to February 2015 at Gopalganj district in Bangladesh. The single factor experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. There were eight treatments viz. control (without organic and inorganic fertilizer), cowdung, recommended dose of NPK, 50% cowdung + 50% recommended dose of NPK, dhap residue, dhap residue + cowdung, dhap residue + recommended dose of NPK, dhap residue +50% cowdung +50% recommended dose of NPK. Dhap residue significantly influences the growth and yield of all three crops i.e red amaranth, radish and garlic. In respect of red amaranth, the tallest plant (43.70 cm and 42.37 cm, respectively) and maximum number of leaves (33.00 and 33.33, respectively) per plant as well as yield (20.88 and 21.32 t ha-1, respectively) were observed from dhap residue + 50% cow dung + 50% recommended dose of NPK which was significantly similar to dhap residue + recommended dose of NPK in both the years. Similar results were also observed in radish for root growth and in bulb production of garlic. From economic consideration, the application of dhap residue + 50% cow dung + 50% recommended dose of NPK fertilizers were suitable for growth and yield as well as cost effective for red amaranth, radish and garlic production under the climatic conditions in Gopalganj district of Bangladesh.

The study was undertaken to investigate the performance of organic and inorganic fertilizers in floating bed on the development and yield of Indian spinach and red amaranth in 2014 and 2015 in Gopalganj, Bangladesh. The single factor experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. There were four treatments like control, cowdung, suggested dose of NPK, fifty percent cowdung + fifty percent suggested dose of NPK. Organic and inorganic fertilizers have positive impact in floating bed for the performance of Indian spinach and red amaranth. In case of Indian spinach, the higheststem length (187.17 and 185.33 cm, respectively) was found in fifty percent cow dung + fifty percent suggested dose of NPK. The highest weight of leaves varied from 567.00 and 521.33 to 853.67 and 843.00 g while the total weight of stems varied from 686.67 and 694.00 to 1009.33 and 998.67 g in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The highest yield (57.30 and 55.60 t ha-1, respectively) was obtained from suggested dose of NPK followed by fifty percent Cow dung + fifty percent suggested dose of NPK. The minimum yield (37.60 and 36.50 t ha-1, respectively) was obtained within the control in 2014 & 2015. Similar tendency was also observed in red amaranth in both the growing season. Including economic consideration, the results suggested that the use of fifty percent cow dung + fifty percent NPK of suggested dose of fertilizers in floating bed was appropriate for development and yield as well as cost effective for Indian spinach and red amaranth production.