Development of Fertilizer Management Package for Dragon Fruit Cultivation in Bangladesh

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Research Centre, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jamalpur during 2016–17 to develop a fertilizer management package for Dragon fruit cultivation in Bangladesh. The experimental site belongs to the Agro-Ecological Zone 8 (Young Brahmaputra and Jamuna Flood Plain) and 9 (Old Brahmaputra Flood Plain) at 24⁰56^/11^// N latitude, 89⁰55^/54^// E longitude and at an altitude of 16.46 m. BARI Dragon Fruit-1 variety was used in the experiment. Two plants per pillar were transplanted in April 2014 maintaining 2.0 x 2.0 m spacing. The experiment comprise of five treatments of the following doses of fertilizers: Package-1: Urea=100 g/month, TSP=100 g/month, MOP=100 g/month and 2 kg Manure/month; Package-2: Urea=50 g/4 months, TSP =50 g/4 months, MOP=50 g/4 months and 2 kg manure/4 months; Package-3: Urea = 200 g/2 months, TSP = 200 g/2 months, MOP = 200 g/2 months; Package-4: Urea = 200 g/2 months, TSP = 200 g/2 months, MOP = 200 g/2 months and 5 kg manure/4 months and Package-5: Urea = 100 g/4 months, TSP = 100 g/4 months, MOP = 50 g/4 months and 15 kg manure/year. The results revealed that there were significant differences in all the parameters under study except days to first flowering among the treatments as influenced by different fertilizer packages. The tallest plant (258.67 cm) was observed in T₁ treatment. The treatment T₁ exhibited the highest number of branches (64.67). The highest number of fruits per plant (9.67) was noted in T₁ treatment. The biggest fruit (322.53 g) was observed in the T₄ treatment. The longest fruit (12.21cm) was observed in treatment T₄. The maximum fruit breadth (7.74 cm) was obtained in treatment T₄. The highest TSS (10.67%) was recorded in T₁ treatment that was significantly similar to T₂ (10.27%) and T₄ (10.50%) treatments. The results depicted significant differences in terms of edible portion among the treatments. The maximum edible portion (75.16%) was observed in T₃ treatment which was similarly followed by T₄ treatment (74.58%). The minimum edible portion (70.99%) was found in T₅ treatment. The highest fruit yield (2.80 kg per plant) was observed in treatment T₁ which was followed by T₄ treatment (2.26 kg/plant). On the other hand, the lowest fruit yield (1.24 kg/plant) was found in T₃ treatment.

Keywords: Dragon fruit, Fertilizer Management Package, Urea (N), TSP (P), MOP (K), Growth, Flowering, fruiting, Yield

Cite this Article

Akter A, Rahman H. Development of Fertilizer Management Package for Dragon Fruit Cultivation in Bangladesh. Research & Reviews: Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 2017; 6(3):         12–17p.