Jute seed production as influenced by dates of sowing and topping in red and laterite zone of West Bengal

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during thekharif season of two consecutive years 2014 and 2015 at Regional Research Sub-station, Raghunathpur, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Purulia, West Bengal with the view to maximise the jute seed yield by manipulating certain non-monetary techniques like dates of sowing and topping associated with crop production. The Capsularis variety Bidhan pat-3 was sown in three different dates (1st-25th June, 2nd-15th July and 3rd-5th August) with 3 topping (clipping of apical portion) practices at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) as separate treatment with no topping as control. These different agronomic practices significantly (at 5 % probability level) influenced the performance of the crop in various aspects. The 1st date of sowing showed its supremacy in terms of expression of the crop in the field in all the aspects achieving a seed yield of 709.50 kg ha-1 and 737.85 kg ha-1 during first and second year respectively, whereas, the last date of sowing showed its inferiority obtaining a seed yield of 590.10 kg ha-1 and 647.13 kg ha-1all through the first and second year respectively.1stdate of sowing also recorded higher net return(Rs. 33721.50 ha-1& Rs.35989.50 ha-1 during first and second year) and benefit: cost ratio (1.46 and 1.56 in first and second year) over the other two date of sowing. How-ever, maximum seed yield was achieved when the crop was topped on 45 DAS (728.80 kg ha-1 and 773.57 kg ha-1 during first and second year) irrespective of the date of sowing.