Growth Of Cabbage Research Articles

Deep eutectic solvent-mediated extraction of lignin: A novel strategy for producing high-quality biopolymers in controlled-release mulching applications.

Microplastic contamination of low-density polyethylene mulch and nutrient loss from fertilizers present significant challenges in the crop-growing. In this study, the focus was on creating a biodegradable film that combines the advantages of plastic film, thermal insulation and water retention, as well as the controlled release of fertilizer. A key innovation was the efficient introduction of low molecular weight and low dispersibility of poplar lignin into chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol matrices. The lignin was extracted using deep eutectic solvents of binary carboxylic acids (choline chloride and maleic acid). The refined lignin was used as a superhydrophobic additive to improve the mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and controlled nutrient release properties of the films through cross-linking. The mulch attained a tensile strength of 37.6 MPa, an elongation of 644.1 %, and a precise release of 53.1 % urea over 30 d at the ideal lignin content ratio (10 %). Furthermore, the film proficiently regulated soil temperature and moisture content. Successful enhancement of cabbage growth was achieved by actual measurements. This discovery provides innovative ideas for the development of nutrient slow-release high-strength integrated agricultural mulching films to promote sustainable, high-quality green agriculture.

Ammonia‐oxidizing microorganisms and microbial respiration: Biochar ammonium/nitrate‐based fertilizer effects on soil nitrification and crop performance

AbstractBiochar and N fertilizers can significantly influence the abundance and functionality of ammonia‐oxidizing microorganisms (AMO), which are critical for nitrogen cycling and soil health. This study investigates the synergistic effects of combined application of biochar (2% w/w) and different N fertilizers, that is ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) at 200 mg kg−1 each, in affecting the soil nitrification processes and microbial activities and later, these effects were correlated with the growth of Chinese cabbage under acidic soil conditions. Our results indicated that Co‐application of biochar with NH4Cl reduced cabbage height and biomass by 44.35% and 38.52%, respectively. However, application of biochar in association with enhanced the activity of ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) by 47.87% in comparison with BCN1, which was mainly because of enhanced N absorption by plant leading to its increased growth and biomass. Moreover, BCN3 treatment reshaped the microbial community composition and enhanced the relative abundances of AOA‐Nitrososphaera and AOB‐norank_d_Bacteria. At the same time, NH4NO3 treatment decreased the relative abundances of AOA‐norank_d_Archaea and AOB‐Nitrosomonadaceae, which negatively affected the AMO activities. Consequently, application of biochar in conjunction with NH4NO3 could enhance AMO activities, which resultantly, provided more NO3−‐N for cabbage uptake and enhanced its growth as opposed to its collaboration with NH4Cl under acidic soil. In conclusions, the combined application of biochar and N fertilizers (NaNO3 and NH4NO3) improved plant growth and biomass more than NH4Cl application. These results highlight the potential for integrating biochar into fertilization practices to promote sustainable soil health.

Impact of Seabuckthorn Pomace Fermentation Fertilizer Coupled with Bacillus sp. T28 on Soil Properties and Chinese Cabbage Growth

Impact of Seabuckthorn Pomace Fermentation Fertilizer Coupled with <i>Bacillus</i> sp. T28 on Soil Properties and Chinese Cabbage Growth

Effects of Marquandomyces marquandii SGSF043 on the Germination Activity of Chinese Cabbage Seeds: Evidence from Phenotypic Indicators, Stress Resistance Indicators, Hormones and Functional Genes

In this study, the effect of Metarhizium spp. M. marquandii on the seed germination of cabbage, a cruciferous crop, was investigated. The effects of this strain on the seed germination vigor, bud growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese cabbage were analyzed by a seed coating method. The results showed the following: (1) The coating agent M. marquandii SGSF043 could significantly improve the germination activity of Chinese cabbage seeds. (2) The strain concentration in the seed coating agent had different degrees of regulation on the antioxidase system of the buds, indicating that it could activate the antioxidant system and improve the antioxidant ability of the buds. (3) When the concentration of M. marquandii SGSF043 was 5.6 × 106 CFU/mL (average per grain), the effect of M. marquandii SGSF043 on the leaf hormones Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), Gibberellic Acid (GA) and Abscisic Acid (ABA) of Chinese cabbage seedlings was significantly higher than that of other treatment groups, indicating that the strain could optimize the level of plant hormones. (4) M. marquandii SGSF043 could induce the expression of stress-resistance-related genes in different tissue parts of Chinese cabbage and improve the growth-promoting stress resistance of buds. This study showed that M. marquandii SGSF043 could not only improve the germination vitality of Chinese cabbage seeds but also enhance the immunity of young buds. The results provide a theoretical basis for the application potential of Metarhizium marquandii in agricultural production.

Optimizing Cabbage Cultivation in Paddy-Converted Fields Using Discarded Coir Substrates and Controlled Irrigation

This study aimed to reuse discarded coir substrates and optimize irrigation as a low-cost solution for addressing waterlogging in paddy-converted farmland. We employed a 2 × 4 factorial design, with the growth substrates consisting of paddy soil (PS) and coir substrates (CSs), and four irrigation levels (ILs) set as 140% crop evapotranspiration (ETc140), 100% ETc (ETc100), 60% ETc (ETc60), and non-irrigated control (ETc0). We evaluated the growth and physiological characteristics of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. Capitata), including the outer leaf growth, yield components, water use efficiency (WUE), photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll content, proline content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and glucosinolates (GLs) content. The results indicated that the interaction between the CSs and IL significantly improved cabbage growth, photosynthetic activity, and stress resistance compared with PS. Notably, when CS was combined with ETc100 and ETc60 irrigation levels, cabbage exhibited optimal growth parameters, and CS-ETc60 achieved the highest WUE. This study indicated that using discarded coir substrates combined with appropriate irrigation levels offers an effective and low-cost solution for mitigating waterlogging problems.

DSCONV-GAN: a UAV-BASED model for Verticillium Wilt disease detection in Chinese cabbage in complex growing environments

Verticillium wilt greatly hampers Chinese cabbage growth, causing significant yield limitations. Rapid and accurate detection of Verticillium wilt in the Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) can provide significant agronomic benefits. Here, we propose a detection model, DSConv-GAN, which is based on images acquired by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Based on YOLOv8, with the addition of the dynamic snake convolution (DSConv) module and the improved loss function maximum possible distance intersection-over-union (MPDIoU), we acquired enhanced complex structures and global characteristics in Chinese cabbage images under different growth conditions. To reduce the difficulty of acquiring diseased Chinese cabbage data, a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network (CycleGAN) was used to simulate and generate images of the Verticillium wilt characteristics for multiple fields. The detection of lightly infected plants achieved precision, recall, mean average precision (mAP), and F1-score of 81.3, 86.6, 87.7, and 83.9%, respectively. DSConv-GAN outperforms other models in terms of precision, detection speed, robustness, and generalization. The model is combined with software to improve the practicability of the proposed method. Our results demonstrate DSConv-GAN to be an effective intelligent farming tool that provides early, rapid, and accurate detection of Chinese cabbage Verticillium wilt in complex growing environments.

Evaluation of Alley-cropping Agroforestry System and Conventional System of Agriculture on the Productivity of Cabbage (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Brassica oleracea &amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;L.) in Dschang, West Region of Cameroon

Cabbage is one of the main vegetable crops grown in Cameroon. However, production is limited by rising prices and the scarcity of chemical fertilisers on the market. The rise in cost of fertilizers leaves some farmers reluctant to use fertilisers and as a result leads to lower yields, hence, low crop profitability. The aim of this study was to compare the two systems of agriculture; agroforestry system with the conventional system on the growth of cabbage (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Brassica oleracea&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; L.). Research plots were established on the campus of the University of Dschang, in the West Region of Cameroon. The comparisons were made on the basis of productivity, pest abundance and economic profitability. Data on yield and pest susceptibility variables were collected during the field trials. It was realised that the slug (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Deroceras reticulatum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) population was higher in the agroforestry system (4.62±2.41 slugs) than in the conventional system (1.03±0.55 slugs). The aphid population (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Brevicoryne brassicae&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) was higher in the conventional cropping system (25.31±38.94 aphids) compared with the alley-cropping agroforestry system (0.71±0.62 aphids). Productivity variables showed that cabbage yield did not vary between the two production methods. It was 66.08 t/ha and 66.76 t/ha respectively for the agroforestry system and the conventional system. The economic analysis showed that the agroforestry system was more profitable than the conventional system. Thus, growing cabbage in an agroforestry system is an ecological and profitable strategy for agriculture that is more resilient to climatic variations.

Optimizing Irrigation and Nitrogen Levels for Enhanced Cabbage Growth in Yobe's Semi-Arid Region

This study investigated the effects of irrigation schedules and nitrogen fertilizer application rates on the growth and productivity of cabbage in Damaturu, Yobe State. Using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in a 3x5 factorial arrangement with three replications, we tested three irrigation intervals “3, 6, and 9 days” and five nitrogen fertilizer levels “0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha⁻¹” on an improved cabbage variety (Datdiku-5m). Results indicated cabbage growth positively responded to optimal irrigation intervals and increasing nitrogen fertilizer rates. The combination of 6-day irrigation intervals and 100 kg ha⁻¹ of nitrogen fertilizer resulted in impressive outcomes: a tallest head height of 18.92 cm, the largest head diameter of 16.95 cm, maximum plant height of 24.92 cm, the largest plant spread of 37.12 cm, a maximum marketable yield of 63.5 t/ha, and the highest total yield of 71.52 t/ha (Table 3). This combination ensures an adequate supply of water and nutrients, promoting robust growth and significant yield in semi-arid region. In contrast, lower irrigation intervals (9 days) and reduced nitrogen levels (0-50 kg ha⁻¹) led to stunted growth and lower productivity metrics, illustrating the critical role of proper water and nutrient management in achieving optimal cabbage yields. Therefore, adopting a 6-day irrigation schedule and applying 100 kg ha⁻¹ of nitrogen fertilizer may effectively increase cabbage yield. Future research should explore different nitrogen fertilizer rates and the combined effects of various nutrients with different irrigation intervals to further assess their impact.

Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on the Growth and Quality of Brassica campestris L. in a Three-season Consecutive Cultivation

In order to investigate the effects of polystyrene （PS） microplastics with different particle sizes on the growth, development, and quality of Brassica campestris L. （Chinese cabbage） in consecutive seasons, we studied the effects of PS plastics with different particle sizes （&lt;25, 25-48, 48-150, and 150-850 μm） on the growth and development of B. campestris L. and on the supply of nutrients to the soil in a potting experiment in three consecutive seasons. The results showed that PS microplastics had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Chinese cabbage in three consecutive seasons, and the fresh weight, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content of Chinese cabbage were reduced by 9.22%-30.4%, 51.5%-88.9%, and 25.3%-67.1%, respectively. PS microplastics also affected the quality of Chinese cabbage in three seasons and significantly reduced cabbage starch （20.6%-73.2%）, Mn （23.9%-56.3%）, Zn （18.8%-23.2%）, and Cu （18.9%-35.1%） and increased its soluble sugar content （18.9%-220%）. Soil quick-acting phosphorus and quick-acting potassium content under the influence of PS microplastics showed the largest decreases of 26.0% and 55.8%, respectively, but had no significant effect on the effective Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn contents. Overall, the effect of PS microplastics on the growth and quality of Chinese cabbage increased with the decrease in particle size and decreased with the increase in consecutive planting seasons； however, there was no obvious pattern of change in the effect of PS microplastic particle size on the soil fast-acting nutrient content.

Saga of Soggy Sauerkraut

The creation of undesirable (soggy) sauerkraut resulted in the loss of $1,000,000 worth of organic sauerkraut in 2022, which prompted a multistep investigation of the cause and potential solution. The cause of this condition has been previously reported as unique fermentation conditions and the lack of key trace nutrients essential for cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) cell wall integrity. Because the condition was limited to organic sauerkraut in 2022, this investigation initially focused on differences in fermentation conditions between organic and conventional sauerkraut. No differences in fermentation conditions accounted for the condition; therefore, attention was focused on analyzing the mineral content of cabbage grown for sauerkraut production that pinpointed a deficiency in critical micronutrients such as iron, copper, manganese, boron, and zinc. This deficiency was traced to the use of poultry manure that was contaminated with glyphosate residue from conventionally fed turkeys and chickens that consumed genetically engineered (GE) feed and used as the fertilizer for organic cabbage production. The presence of glyphosate, a potent mineral chelator and antibiotic, was identified as a significant factor that impairs the absorption and physiological function of essential minerals in the shikimate metabolic pathway whereby cell walls and lignin are produced, thus compromising the structural quality of the sauerkraut. After this discovery, the study progressed to evaluate various remediation strategies aimed at eliminating glyphosate from the soil and restoring nutrient uptake. Corn grain and silage were selected as the test crops for this phase. Among the tested remediation solutions were raw sauerkraut juice containing Lactobacillus plantarum, which is reported to degrade glyphosate in the rumen of dairy cows and two patented proprietary microbial mixtures, PB027 and PB027SK, that degrade glyphosate by all three of the known metabolic pathways. These treatments were specifically formulated to degrade residual glyphosate in the soil. The results showed that these interventions could reduce soil glyphosate levels by 80% to 90% within 6 to 7 months to significantly enhance both the yield and quality of corn grain and silage. The increase in corn grain yield from glyphosate degradation on the Shiocton silt loam soil was 907.89 kg·ha−1 (13.5 bushels/acre). The increase in yield on the irrigated Kidder sandy loam soil was quantified at 726.31 kg·ha−1 (10.8 bushels/acre) for corn grain and 6.62 t·ha−1 (2.68 t/acre) for silage, with an additional improvement in silage feed quality beneficial for milk production. The findings underscore the importance of addressing both micronutrient sufficiency and glyphosate residue in soil to ensure the optimal growth of cabbage and the quality of sauerkraut produced. By successfully identifying manure as a subtle source of nutrient immobilization and implementing effective soil remediation techniques, this research highlights a clear path forward for improving crop yield and quality to ultimately enhance the structural integrity and consumer acceptance of sauerkraut. This study has broader applications for the nutritional content and crop yields of many organic crops that use conventional poultry and animal manures that may contain glyphosate in desiccated plant tissues or GE feeding operations.

Effect of Soil Organic Matter Content and Ammonium Perrhenate(186Re) on the Growth of Chinese Cabbage and Radish

Effect of Soil Organic Matter Content and Ammonium Perrhenate(186Re) on the Growth of Chinese Cabbage and Radish

Diagnosis of Chinese Cabbage Growth and Water Stress Using Time-Series Drone Imagery

Diagnosis of Chinese Cabbage Growth and Water Stress Using Time-Series Drone Imagery

Effect of Different Planting Dates and Spacing on Growth Parameters of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.)

Aim: To investigate the effect of various planting dates and spacing on cabbage growth. Study Design: The experimental design Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) was used. Place and Duration of Study: An experiment was conducted in the rabi seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23 at the Horticulture Research Farm, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow (U.P.) Methodology: There were twelve treatments with three replications. The variety selected for experiment was Pusa Mukta. Results: The combined data of two years showed that treatment P1 (30 November) had significantly higher plant survivability (95.28%), plant height (14.67 cm, 21.31 cm and 28.39 cm) at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, respectively, stem diameter (2.11 cm), no. of non-wrapper leaves (16.28), no. of wrapper leaves (27.19), plant spread E-W (49.40 cm) and plant spread N-S (52.63 cm). Among spacings. The findings showed that the S4 (60 cm x 60 cm) plant spacing achieved maximum plant survivability at 91.59%. It also led to the greatest plant height at 30, 45 and 60 days after transplanting (DAT) with measurements of 15.73 cm, 22.45 cm and 31.12 cm, respectively. Additionally, this spacing resulted in the largest stem diameter (2.31 cm), the highest no. of non-wrapper leaves (17.40), no. of wrapper leaves (28.30), greatest plant spread in both East-West (52.79 cm) and North-South (56.08 cm) directions. Conclusion: The results obtained from pooled data of two years showed that treatment P1 (30 November) and Spacing 60 cm x 60 cm had significantly higher growth parameters.

Effects of Different LED Spectra on the Antioxidant Capacity and Nitrogen Metabolism of Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. Pekinensis).

Light quality optimization is a cost-effective method for increasing leafy vegetable quality in plant factories. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that enable the precise modulation of light quality were used in this study to examine the effects of red-blue (RB), red-blue-green (RBG), red-blue-purple (RBP), and red-blue-far-red (RBF) lights on the growth, antioxidant capacity, and nitrogen metabolism of Chinese cabbage leaves, while white light served as the control (CK). Results showed that the chlorophyll, carotenoid, vitamin C, amino acid, total flavonoid, and antioxidant levels of Chinese cabbage were all significantly increased under RBP combined light treatment. Meanwhile, RBG combined light treatment significantly increased the levels of amino acids but decreased the nitrite content of Chinese cabbage. In addition, RBF combined light treatment remarkably increased the amino acid levels but decreased the antioxidant capacity of Chinese cabbage. In conclusion, the addition of purple light to red-blue light was effective in improving the nutritional value and antioxidant capacity of Chinese cabbage. This light condition can be used as a model for a supplemental lighting strategy for leafy vegetables in plant factory production.

Chitosan xerogel embedded with green synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticle: An effective controlled release fertilizer for improved cabbage growth

With the growing awareness on the adverse effects of conventional fertilizers; the use of sustainable and controlled release fertilizers has garnered much significance. In the present study, we report the synthesis of chitosan-benzaldehyde Schiff base xerogel incorporated with green synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticle using Psidium guajava leaves extract as a sustainable fertilizer. Spherical CeO2 NPs having an average particle size of 15.3 nm and zeta potential of – 39.9 mV was obtained. The urea-loaded nanocomposite xerogel (CsB@U/CeO2) was examined for cabbage growth. The water retention capacity extended for >2 weeks. A controlled release profile for urea was accomplished from CsB@U/CeO2 for a period extending for 30 days. The kinetics assay suggested that presence of CeO2 NPs asserted a greater role in urea-controlled release from the CsB@U/CeO2 nanocomposite hydrogel owing to polymer relaxation. The growth parameters of cabbages such as head height, diameter, fresh head weight, head circumference was enhanced in plants fertilized by CsB@U/CeO2 as compared to urea. Furthermore, the phenolic content, free radical scavenging activity, protein content, sugar and flavonoid content were also found higher in CsB@U/CeO2 fertilized plants. This study puts forth CsB@U/CeO2 xerogel can be potentially harnessed as an alternative to urea in sustainable agriculture.

Comparative analysis of crop rotation systems: the impact of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) residues on growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis).

Continuous cropping in greenhouse cultivation often leads to increased pest and disease problems, reducing crop quality and yield. Crop rotation is a common strategy to address these issues. This study compared the growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) following rotations with ginger (Zingiber officinale) and sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca). The Chinese cabbage exhibited normal growth following ginger rotation but showed abnormal growth after sponge gourd rotation. The study investigated the underlying causes by analyzing soil physicochemical properties and rhizosphere microbial communities of Chinese cabbage using 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing. The results revealed that soil from ginger-Chinese cabbage rotation had higher levels of soil organic carbon (SOC) and available phosphorus (AP), but lower total nitrogen (TN) and available potassium (AK). Despite similar alpha-diversity for both bacterial and fungal communities, distinct bacterial and fungal community structures between two rotation cropping systems were observed. This suggests that even if the alpha-diversity does not change, the composition of the microbial community can shift in ways that might influence soil health and plant growth. Furthermore, redundancy analysis revealed a significant correlation between microbial community structures and soil physicochemical properties of two rotation cropping systems. The SOC and TN were revealed to be the most significant of the investigated soil physicochemical parameters with respect to the variation of both bacterial and fungal assemblages, respectively. The identified biomarkers in bacterial community composition further emphasize the potential for specific microbes to influence crop health positively or negatively. We found that the indicator genera of the bacterial community composition of the ginger-Chinese cabbage rotation system were Amycolatopsis (genus), Pseudonocardiales (order), Pseudonocardiaceae (family), and Amycolatopsis mediterranei, which are known as producers of secondary metabolites, such as antibiotics. These findings highlight the importance of crop selection in rotation strategies for optimizing agricultural outcomes.

Effect of mineral additives and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria additions on physicochemical properties, nitrogen retention and microbial dynamics during vermicomposting of chicken manure and green waste

Vermicomposting is an effective technology to transform organic wastes into organic fertilizers. However, a large amount of nitrogen will be lost through ammonia (NH3) volatilization during verimicomposting. Herein, we investigated the effects of mineral additives (diatomite, zeolite) and exogenous ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) (Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrosospira multiformis) added individually or combinedly on the physicochemical changes, the conversion of nitrogen, and the resident microbial community succession during chicken manure and green waste co-vermicomposting. The results showed that the combined addition of AOB and mineral additives significantly improved vermicompost quality and maturity in terms of humus, carbon/nitrogen ratio, humic acid/fulvic acid ratio and germination index. Compared with the control, jointly adding AOB and mineral additives reduced NH3 emissions by 65.72∼71.05 %, accelerated the conversion of NH4+-N to NO3−-N, increased total nitrogen content by 23.22∼25.21 %. The combination of AOB and mineral additives significantly increased the activities of ammonia monooxygenase, hydroxylamine oxidase, and nitrate oxidoreductase, and enhanced the amount of AOB community. Additionally, the combined addition of AOB and mineral additives increased bacterial richness and diversity, accompanied by increased relative abundances of Luteimonas, Cellvibrio, Saccharimonadales, and Pseudomonas. These microbial shifts were correlated with enhanced lignocellulose degradation, organic phosphate mineralization, and promotion of plant growth. Moreover, vermiompost-based growing media with mineral additives and AOB can significantly promote the growth of purple cabbage as compared to the vermicompost without additives. Overall, the synergistic use of AOB and mineral additives (diatomite, zeolite) was recommended as a favorable approach for reducing nitrogen losses and improving the efficiency of chicken manure and green waste vermicomposting. This study offers a novel approach to mediate nitrogen transformation processes and reduce nitrogen loss.

Effects of decomposed and undecomposed straw of three crops on clubroot disease of Chinese cabbage and soil nutrients

Aims: Straw turnover plays an important role in reducing soil diseases, improving the ecological environment of plowland and realizing the effective ecological utilization of straw. Methods: Pot and field experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of maize, rice and wheat straws on the growth, clubroot disease of Chinese cabbage and soil nutrients. Undecomposed and decomposed maize, rice and wheat straws were quantitatively added to the monocultural soil of Chinese cabbage, and the crops without straw were taken as the control. Results: The results showed that the addition of maize, wheat and rice straws could promote the growth of monocultural Chinese cabbage, inhibit the occurrence of clubroot disease, increase soil pH value, the content of soil organic matter, alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen and available potassium in pot experiment. Exogenous straw application could reduce the incidence rate by 22.54 ~ 47.85%, increase the plot yield of field 95.15 ~ 365.81%. Conclusions: In terms of inhibiting clubroot disease and improving soil properties, undecomposed rice straw is superior to maize and wheat straw, while decomposed maize straw is superior to rice and wheat straw.

Perspective of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and biopesticides on growth and yield of cabbage

Perspective of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and biopesticides on growth and yield of cabbage

Foliar application of micronutrient formulations for enhanced growth and yield of cabbage

Cabbage is a prominent leafy vegetable belonging to the cole group of vegetables. To increase its productivity, nutrient management involving use of micronutrients is one of the most important practices. Consequently, the present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of four laboratory-prepared micronutrient formulations (Micromix A; Mix-A, Micromix B; Mix-B, Micromix C; Mix-C and Micromix D; Mix-D) on growth and yield of cabbage. For comparison two micronutrient formulations available in the market, Arka Vegetable Special and Agromin were also undertaken in this study. The results revealed a significant improvement in morphological parameters like fresh stem weight, fresh root weight, root length, head weight per plant and open leaf weight per plant as a result of foliar application of micronutrient formulations as compared to the control. Additionally, it was discovered that foliar application of Mix-A, Mix-B, Mix-C and Mix-D increased the yield of cabbage by 14.04 %, 20.25 %, 27.14 % and 23.14 %, respectively over the control. Furthermore, among different formulations, Mix-C proved more effective as compared to the rest of the treatments. Thus, it can be inferred that foliar application of micronutrients has great potential in improving the yield and yield characteristics of cabbage.