Evaluation of Six Modern Varieties of Potatoes for Yield, Plant Growth Parameters and Resistance to Insects and Diseases

Six modern varieties of potatoes (Diamant, Cardinal, Granola, Felsina, Provento and Asterix) were investigated for their growth parameters and yield to determine their suitability for production in Bangladesh. Results indicate significant variations among the varieties in the yield and morphological characteristics and no difference in the number of main stems per hill. Among the six studied varieties, Asterix produced the greatest yield (29.60 t/ha), the greatest number of tubers per hill (13 tubers/hill), the largest percentage (84%) of medium sized tubers (28 - 55 mm diameter), and the greatest plant height (61.33 cm). Diamant performed second after Asterix with a yield of 28.33 t/ha, and a plant height of 59.0 cm. Felsina produced the lowest yield (25.13 t/ha) and the lowest number of tubers per hill (8.67 tubers/hill). In a farmers’ perception study, where farmers scored the yield and resistance to diseases and insect damage of the six varieties, from 1 to 6 (6 being the highest and 1 being the lowest), Asterix was the most preferred variety by farmers with scores of 6, 5.67 and 5.83 for yield, disease resistance and insect resistance respectively. Provento was the least preferred by farmers with a score of overall performance of 4. The results of this study indicate that Asterix and Diamant have the potential to be grown successfully by the farmers in Bangladesh.

Influence of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Floating Bed Cultivation of Okra and Cucumber during Summer Season in Southern Part of Bangladesh

Some trails were carried out with a view to evaluate the performances of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in floating bed cultivation applying water hyacinth in 2014 and 2015 at Gopalpur union under Tungipara upazila of Gopalganj district in Bangladesh. The single factor experiment was conducted following Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) involving four treatments with three replications viz. T1: control (without organic and inorganic fertilizer), T2: cow dung, T3: recommended dose of NPK and T4: 50% cow dung + 50% recommended dose of NPK. Different growth parameters in respect of okra grown in 2014 and 2015, the longest plant height (171.73 cm and 164.03 cm), maximum number of branches (5.67 and 5.67) and leaves (60.33 and 69.67) were found in the treatment T3. Regarding yield parameters, significantly higher number of fruits plant-1, fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), individual fruit weight (g), fruits weight plant-1 (g) and yield (t·ha-1) were 24.00 & 23.33, 16.61 & 16.59 cm, 6.01 & 6.17 cm, 23.47 & 24.74 g, 617.33 & 660.33 g, 13.01 & 13.21 t·ha-1 obtained respectively grown in 2014 and 2015 by applying the treatment T3 were identically similar with those in receiving the treatment T4. The lowest output was recorded in control in both seasons for all the cases. Similar trend of growth and yield were also observed during the cultivation of cucumber under the same treatment conditions in both the seasons. Results revealed that there was no identical differences in growth and yield attributes in between the treatments T3 and T4, where as the production cost was subjected to lower in T4 compare to T3. However, from the economic point of view, the treatment T4 i.e. application of 50% cow dung + 50% recommended dose of NPK fertilizers in floating bed cultivation was exposed to be more feasible and suitable as cost effective for the growth and yield of okra and cucumber in the experimental area.