YIELD AND QUALITY OF JUTE SEED (0-72) AS AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT DATES AND METHODS OF SOWING IN THE LATE SEASON

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Horticulture Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS) IN AGRONOMY

An experiment was conducted at experimental field of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute Regional Station. Rangpur during July 2004 to January 2005. Seed quality components were tested in the Laboratory of' the Agronomy Division of WRI. Dhaka. The objectives were to find out the appropriate sowing dale. sowing method and interaction effect of sowing date and sowing method on the yield and quality of jute seed in the late season. The experiment consisted of five sowing dates viz.. July IS. July 30, Auuust 15, August 30 and September 15: two sowing methods viz., line and broadcast with a variety 0-72. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with four replications. Results showed that sowing date significantly affected seed yield and yield components. The higher seed yield (1167.20 kg hi') obtained from the crops sown on August 15 compared to the crops of other sowing dates. The seed produced from August IS sowing also gave better pertorinanee regarding seed quality express as 1000 seed weight (2.16 g). germination percentage (96.00%). vigour index (67.39) and moisture content (10.19%). There was signilleant effect found in seed yield clue to sowing methods. l3ttt sowing methods signilicaiitly afiected the seed quality components. The seed 110 ,-, produced from line sowing gave die highest 1000 seed weight (2.09 g), germination percentage (93.30%), and lowest moisture content (10.43%) over broadcast sowing where vigour index was unaiTheted. The seed yield was significantly atiëeted by the interaction ol sowing date and sowing method. The highest seed yield (11 S7.70 kg ha'') obtained from the crops sown on August 15 in line sowing method. The vigour index of jute seed was significantly affected due to interaction effect of sowing date and sowing method where other quality components such as 1000 seed weight, germination percentage and moisture content remained ttnaffeeted. The seed obtained fran, the crops sown on August IS gave the higher valtie of vigour index (66.89 and 67.89 for line and broadcast sowing respectively) in both the sowing methods. The crops sown on August 15. in any ol' the sowing methods either line sowing or broadcast sowing produced higher yield of quality seed.