Vol. 12, Issue 12 (2023)

Author(s):
Nihar A Patel, SS Masaye, VM Chaudhari, ZF Khasdar and SS Gaikwad

Abstract:
The present experiment was conducted during winter 2021-22 at Polytechnic in Horticulture, ACHF, NAU, Paria (Gujarat) to study the effect of different type of mulches on growth characteristics of cauliflower. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications and nine treatments viz., T₁- Black polyethylene mulch, T₂- Silver polyethylene mulch, T₃- Red polyethylene mulch, T₄- Silver black polyethylene mulch, T₅- White polyethylene mulch, T₆- Paddy straw mulch (10 t ha^-1), T₇- Sugarcane trash (10 t ha^-1), T₈- Farmer’s practice (Two hand weeding with flood irrigation) and T₉- Control (No mulch). The result indicated that the treatment T₁ (Black polyethylene mulch) recorded maximum plant height (28.70, 49.23, 59.66 and 64.66 cm); plant spread (N-S) (27.40, 48.10, 63.23 and 68.20 cm); plant spread (E-W) (25.66, 46.06, 59.56 and 66.30 cm); number of leaves per plant (13.40, 19.60, 24.20 and 26.20) and leaf length (19.70, 36.23, 44.66 and 51.40 cm) at 30, 60, 90 DATP and at curd harvest, respectively. The maximum stalk length (16.20 cm) and curd: plant ratio (0.42) were also recorded by black polyethylene mulch (T₁). While, minimum days to first curd initiation (65.60 days) and days to 50% curd initiation (72.40 days) were recorded with silver black polyethylene mulch (T₄). So, it can be concluded that black and silver black polyethylene mulch had a positive effect on growth characteristics of cauliflower var. Pusa Snowball K-1 under South Gujarat condition.