Response of nitrogen and phosphorus levels on the growth and yield of Chinese cabbage [Brassica rapa (L.) var. Perkinensis]

Nutrient management is one of the prime considerations for getting higher yield of any crop. Most of the vegetable crops are annual, short duration in nature and many of them are harvested at immature stage. Therefore, adequate quantities of plant nutrients are required to promote proper crop growth with view to achieve success in vegetable production. N, P and K are considered as the major plant nutrients and normally applied to crops through chemical fertilizer. Application of the soil nutrient elements through manures and fertilizer is needed to get economic yield of vegetable. Depletion of the natural resources and increasing population, both human and animals, has been a cause of global concern in the recent times. Chinese cabbage is an exotic vegetable recently gaining popularity in India due to its high nutritive value. A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2007-08 on response of Chinese cabbage to different doses of nitrogen and phosphorus levels at Horticultural Research Station (HRS), Mondouri, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal. The aim of this research was to assess nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers in different levels to find out the growth and yield of Chinese cabbage in the plains of West Bengal. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among the treatments for all the traits. The study revealed that with the increase in the nitrogen levels from 80-140 kg/ ha and phosphorus levels from 60-100 kg/ha there was increasing tendency in most of the characters. The maximum number of outer leaves, head length, head width, total head weight, net head weight and head yield were obtained with the application of 120 kg N/ha and 100 kg P/ha and the maximum plant height, plant spread, leaf area and head diameter were recorded with the application of 140 kg N/ha and 120 kg P/ha significantly. From the experiment, it may be concluded that the application of 120 kg nitrogen/ha and 100 kg P/ha is the best for obtaining higher production of Chinese cabbage in the Gangetic plains of West Bengal.