Effect of vernalization period on growth and yield of broccoli

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the fields of the research station (B) of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences - University of Baghdad Al-Jadriya in the autumn season of 2022-2021 to study the effect of vermicompost and the vernalization period on the growth and yield of broccoli, The experiment included two factors, the first: fertilizing with organic fertilizer vermicompost (M) with four concentrations (M0) without adding fertilizer, (M1) 0.5 tons of 1 ton.dunams-1, (M2) 1 ton.dunams-1, (M3) 1.5 ton.dunams-1 and the second factor: vernalization period factor (V including V0) without exposure to cold, (4) (V1 days exposed to cold, V2) 8 days exposed to cold, (V3) 12 days exposed to cold and at a temperature of 5°C ±1.The experiment was conducted as a factorial experiment according to the randomized complete block design (R.C.B.D) with three replicates and 16 treatments for each replicate, to be 48 experimental units whose averages were compared using the L.S.D test at a probability level of 0.05. The results were as follows: The treatment without sequencing significantly excelled in the traits of plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf area, dry weight and leaf content of chlorophyll, While the vermicompost treatment significantly excelled at 12 days in the traits of the flowering date of 50% of the flowering curd of the plants and it reached (81.92) days and the number of days to harvest 50% of the curds was (107.33) days and the number of days to complete the harvesting process was 117.92) days. The curd diameter was (18.41) cm, and the number of secondary curd was 5.04 curd. Plant -1, the main curd yield was 20.45 (ton ha-1), and the total yield was 28.70 (ton ha-1). Keywords: growth, yield, broccoli