Effect of Harvesting Height and Harvesting Frequency on the Growth and Yield of Jute Mallow (Corchorus olitorious L.)

Abstract

: Jute mallow Corchorus olitorious is a vegetable from the Tiliaceae family, which is widely consumed in Africa, particularly in West Africa, where it is used as a staple vegetable. Harvesting height and frequency is key to determining the quantity and quality of this crop. Field and laboratory studies were carried out to examine the growth, herbage yield and proximate composition of Jute mallow Corchorus olitorious as influenced by harvesting height and frequency. The studies were composed of three harvesting heights (H1- harvesting at 10 cm above the ground, H2 - harvesting at 15 cm above the ground, H3 - harvesting at 20 cm above the ground) and three different harvesting frequencies (F1 – every week harvesting, F2 - every two weeks harvesting, F3 - every three weeks harvesting). Growth and yield characteristics and proximate composition were assessed. The results revealed that harvesting height and frequency increased the number of leaves and branches of C. olitorious except for the stem diameter. The yield and proximate composition of C. olitorious were significantly enhanced and it was observed that plants harvested every week at 10 cm above the ground (H1F1) produced lower herbage yields (1.50 and 1.87) t ha-1 compared with the ones harvested at 20 cm which produced higher yield (7.85 and 4.39) t ha-1 at three weeks harvesting frequency (H3F3) however, better quality vegetables in terms of proximate composition were harvested every week at 20 cm above ground level (H3F1).