Effect of Seed Sowing Time and Nutrients on the Growth and Yield of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Abstract

In order to investigate the influence of seed sowing time and nutrients on the growth and yield of fennel, an experiment based on Randomized Complete Block Design with twelve treatments and three replications at the Horticulture Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka during October, 2019 to July, 2020 season was carried out. Fennel variety ‘BARI Mouri-1’ was used as planting material in this study. The experiment consisted of two factors: Factors-A: Sowing time (4 levels): S1 = First week of November, S2 = Last week of November, S3 = First week of December and S4 = Last week of December; Factors-B: Nutrients (4 levels): T0 = Control, T1 = Vermicompost (2.50 t ha-1), T2 = NPK (N80P50K60 kg ha-1) and T3 = Vermicompost (2.50 t ha-1) + NPK (N80P50K60 kg ha-1). The result revealed that in case of seed sowing time S2 (Last week of November) and in case of different level of nutrients T3  [Vermicompost (2.50 t ha⁻¹) + NPK (N80P50K60 kg ha⁻¹)] treatment exhibited its superiority to other treatments in terms of plant height, number of leaves , number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, number of umbel per plant, number of umbellet per umbel, no. of days to first flowering, seed weight per umbel, weight of 1000-seeds and seed weight per ha. Significantly the highest seed yield (2.34t ha⁻¹) was found in S2T3 [(Last week of November with Vermicompost (2.50 t ha⁻¹) + NPK (N80P50K60 kg ha⁻¹)] interaction due to the tallest plant at harvest (117.59 cm), number of leaves (15.07), number of primary branches (7.62),  number of secondary branches (20.18),  minimum days to first flower (82.60), maximum number of umbellet umbel⁻¹ (27.72), number of umbel plant⁻¹ (26.75), maximum weight of 1000-seeds (6.38 g), maximum seed weight umbel⁻¹ (2.09 g).