Growth, yield and quality response of organic broccoli to intercrops and crop geometry

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of inter cropping and crop geometry in organic production of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) during winter season of the year 2013-2014. The experiment was laid out in split plot design replicated thrice with three different organic manures and two spacings as main plot treatments and five intercrops. Among the 30 treatment combinations, application of vermicompost coupled with single row spacing and sole crop of broccoli (M2S1C1) reordered the maximum values in terms of number of leaves (28.6), weight of main head (203.3 g), head girth (15.2 cm), number of sprouts per plant (9.9), yield of sprouts per plant (407.6 g), yield of sprouts/ plant (main head + sprouts) per plant (610.9 g), total yield per ha (301.7 q), vitamin A (14.43 mg/100 g) and vitamin C (96.80 mg/100 g) significantly, while plant height (63.9 cm) was recorded maximum in the treatment M2S2C1, whereas yield of intercrop per ha (134.9 q) was recorded maximum in the M2S2C5 treatment. Amongst the intercropping treatments, broccoli + fenugreek along with vermicompost application following the spacing of 45 x 45 cm (M2S1C4) recorded the highest growth and yield attributing characters except number of sprouts per plant, which was found significantly better in the treatment (M2S1C3).