RESPONSE OF CABBAGE PLANTS TO APPLICATION OF NATURAL ZEOLITE, ORGANIC AND MINERAL FERTILIZERS

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in one of fields belong to College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences/ University of Baghdad –Station Research (F) in Jadriya. to find out effect of natural zeolite, organic fertilizer (poultry manure) and mineral fertilizers and their interactions, “Dounia" cabbage growth and yield, a field experiment was carried out in fall season 2021and the number of plants in the experimental unit was 20 plants. Treatments were replicated three times at factorial design in a RCBD. Factors of study experiment included addition of three levels of natural zeolite (without addition (Z0), 5 Mg.ha^-1 (Z5), and 10 Mg.ha^-1 (Z10)), while poultry manure was added with three levels; without addition (O₀) , 5 Mg.ha^-1 (O5), and 10 Mg.ha^-1 (O10), As for mineral fertilizer treatments, they were added in three levels (50%, 75%, and 100% of complete fertilizer recommendation), which were 100 kg ha^-1 N, 150 kg ha^-1 P, and 150 kg ha^-1 K, which are denoted by symbols M50, M75, and M100, respectively. The experimental results showed that natural zeolite at 10 Mg. ha^-1 (Z10) significantly increased in shoot dry weight of 113.74 gm plant^-1, root dry weight of 37.07 gm plant^-1 and total yield of 27.66 Mg. ha^-1. Results also shows that poultry manure at 10 Mg. ha^-1 (O10) gave highest shoot dry weight of 105.33 g. plant^-1, highest root dry weight of 31.38 g. plant^-1, highest leaf chlorophyll content of 174.37 mg 100 g plant^-1 and highest total yield of 27.98 Mg ha ^-1. As for addition of mineral fertilizers, data cleared that, addition at 100% of complete fertilizer recommendation (M₁₀₀) gave highest shoot dry weight of 109.24 g. plant^-1, highest root dry weight of 33.02 g. plant^-1 , highest leaf chlorophyll content of 172.07 mg 100 g plant^-1 and highest total yield of 27.94 Mg ha^-1.