File 2539 (5).qxd Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 41(1-2), 41-46, 2006 Introduction Cabbage is an important and nutritious win- ter leafy vegetable in our country. It contains a range of essential vitamins and minerals as well as small amount of protein and good caloric value. In recent years vegetable consumption has increased. However, the productivity of cabbage per unit area is quite low as compared to the developed countries of the world.1 Among the various factors involved nutrient supply is an important inputs for realizing higher cabbage yield and its nutrient content. Experimental evidence showed that the response of cabbage is high to nitrogen application and moderate to phos- phorus application.2-3 Several authors report- ed the importance of N-P fertilizer on the pro- ductivity and nutritional quality of cabbage.4-5 The information regarding N-P fertilizer on cabbage yield and its nutritional quality is very meagre in our local climatic condition. Therefore, attempts have been made in the present investigation to study the response of various level of nitrogen- phosphorus application on cabbage yield and its nutrient content. Yield and Nutritional Quality of Cabbage as Affected by Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization K. M. F. Haque,a A. A. Jahangir,b M. E. Haque,a R. K. Mondal,b M. A. A. Jahanb and M. A. M. Sarkerb aIFST, BCSIR, Dhaka, bBCSIR Labs, Dhaka, Dr. Qudrat-I-Khuda Road., Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh Abstract An experiment was conducted in field condition to study the effect of nitrogen- phosphorus fertilization on growth, yield and nutrient content of cabbage. The experiment was laid out in randomize block design with three replications. The yield and yield components were maximized by N3P2 fertilizer treatment. Nutrient content of cabbage varied with fertilizer treatment. The maximum amount of reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, phosphorus were found at the highest rate of N - P fertilization where- as accumulation of titrable acidity, iron, calcium were maximum at the rate of N2P2 treatment. However pH, ash content were more or less same throughout the experiment. Materials and Methods The experiment was carried out at BCSIR agronomic field Dhaka during rabi season 2002-2003 using the variety Atlas-70. The soil of the experimental field was sandy clay loam having a pH 5.8, 1.52 % organic matter and 0.04 % total nitrogen, available sulphur (10 ppm), available phosphorus (15 ppm). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The unit plot size was 3m x 6m. The row to row and plant to plant spacing were 60 and 40 cm respectively. The nitrogen fertilizer doses under study were 60 kg N/ha (N1), 120 kg N/ha (N2), 180 kg N/ha(N3), and that of phos- phorus were 30 kg P2O5/ ha (P1), 60 kg P2O5/ ha (P2) and 90 kg P2O5/ ha (P3). The source of nitrogen and phosphorus were urea and triple super phosphate respectively. At the time of land preparation nitrogen and phosphorus were applied in the field. All the intercultural operation were done in proper time. At har- vest time 10 plants were selected at random from each plot to collect data on plant height and yield components were recorded on the selected plants. The total yield were recorded from the whole plot. Each individual cabbage was divided longitudinally in four equal parts. Only composite sample taken from these parts were used for the determination of moisture, protein, total sugar, reducing sugar and titrable acidity by standard method of AOAC.6 The pH and total soluble solids (TSS) were determined by using standard pH meter and Abb's Refractometer respectively. Ash was determined by heating sample at 600O C for six hours or until a constant weight was reached. Vitamin C was analyzed by the titrimetric method using 2, 6, dichlorophenol-indophenol dye.7 The miner- als were determined by the method described in a Manual of Laboratory Techniques.8 The collected data were statistically analyzed fol- lowing the principles of analysis of Variance and Duncan's New Multiple Range Test.9 Results and Discussion The results on the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth, yield components have been presented in Table I. The maximum plant height (23.31cm) was recorded with the application of 180 kg N and 30 kg P2O5 per hectare which is closely followed by N2P3 treatment (22.50 cm). The minimum plant height was recorded from control treatment. The maximum head diam- eter of cabbage (20.41 cm) was produced from the plot receiving fertilizer at the rate of 180 kg N + 60 kg P2O5 per hectare. This is followed by N3P1 treatment. These two treat- ments are significantly different from the rest of the treatments. K. Srinivas recorded increase head diameter of cabbage by increased N application with P-fertilizer.10 The head thickness size of cabbage were found to vary 12.00 cm to 15.42 cm. The maximum weight of cabbage per plant was noticed at N3P2 treatment. The 2nd highest per plant was obtained from N3P1 treatment. The results indicate that N and P had a 42 Yield and Nutritional Quality 41(1-2) 2006 pronounced effect on the yield of cabbage. The maximum cabbage yield 65.11 t/ha was found from the plot receiving fertilizer at the rate of 180 kg N + 60 kg P2O5 per hectare. The yield production increase progressively with the increase amount of N-fertilizer along with phosphorus fertilizer. Similar results were reported by F. M. Humadi et al. and Mohans et al.11-12 The highest amount of total solid in cabbage was found at N3P3 treatment. It was signifi- cantly higher than the rest of the treatments. The next value was obtained from N3P2 treat- ment. Control treatment produced the lowest amount of total solid. The protein content of cabbage was found maximum from the plot receiving fertilizer at the rate of 180 kg N + 60 kg P2O5 kg/ha. It was closely followed by N3P3 treatment. The results are in partial agreement with the results of Tanaka et al.13 who found higher content of protein by using higher amount of nitrogen level. The maximum amount of TSS was found from N3P2 treatment which is closely followed by N3P3 treatment. Lowest value of TSS are found in control and N1P1 treatment. The change of pH and ash component was insignificant during the growth period of cabbage in the experiment. Reducing sugar content was found maximum from N3P3 treatment. The 2nd highest was obtained from the plot receiving fertilizer at the rate of 180 kg N + 60 kg P2O5 kg /ha. The treatments N2P2 and N2P3 have same value of reducing sugar. The range of titratable acidity in cabbage is between 34.54 to 41.27. The high- est value produced from N2P2 treatment. Haque, Jahangir, Haque, Mondal, Jahan and Sarker 43 Fertilizer treatments Table I. Effect of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization on growth and yield component of cabbage. * Means with the same letter are not different from one another at the 5 % level of significance. Control 19.10 b 17.90 c 12.00 c 1.60 b 1.20 c 45.71 c N1 P1 19.41 b 18.21 c 12.25 c 1.67 b 1.25 bc 46.12 c N1 P2 19.50 b 18.22 c 13.51 b 1.98 bc 1.60 abc 53.60 b N1 P3 21.71 ab 19.13 b 13.62 b 1.99 bc 1.62 abc 53.41 b N2 P1 21.53 ab 19.19 b 14.60 ab 2.00 bc 1.61 abc 53.79 b N2 P2 21.70 ab 19.13 b 14.71 ab 2.47 ab 1.68 ab 58.89 ab N2 P3 22.50 a 19.18 b 14.58 ab 2.48 ab 1.72 ab 59.41 ab N3 P1 23.31 a 20.39 a 15.40 a 2.85 a 1.82 a 64.50 a N3 P2 22.41 a 20.41 a 15.42 a 2.88 a 1.85 a 65.11 a N3 P3 21.80 ab 19.20 b 14.57 ab 2.48 ab 1.72 ab 59.12 ab Plant height (cm) Head size diameter (cm) Head size thickness (cm) Total Weight/ plant (kg) Edible Weight/ plant (kg) Cabbage yield (t/ha) 44 Yield and Nutritional Quality 41(1-2) 2006 Fertilizer treatments Table II. Effects of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization on total solid, protein, total soluble solid, ash, pH, reducing sugar, titratable acidity content of cabbage. (amounts per hun- dred g of edible portion). * Means with the same letter are not different from one another at the 5 % level of significance. Control 5.96 c 1.13 c 4.36 c 0.38 a 6.40 a 1.81 b 34.54 c N1 P1 5.98 c 1.25 c 4.36 c 0.38 a 6.40 a 1.82 b 39.25 bc N2 P1 6.15 b 1.35 bc 4.38 c 0.37 a 6.40 a 1.83 b 39.24 bc N3 P1 6.16 b 1.40 b 5.52 b 0.39 a 6.39 a 1.82 b 40.86 ab N1 P2 6.13 b 1.34 bc 5.53 b 0.38 a 6.39 a 1.82 b 40.86 ab N2 P2 6.16 b 1.49 ab 5.59 b 0.38 a 6.41 a 1.90 ab 41.27 a N3 P2 6.30 a 1.56 a 5.59 b 0.36 a 6.41 a 1.90 ab 40.87 ab N1 P3 6.14 b 1.41 b 5.59 b 0.37 a 6.39 a 1.91 ab 40.85 ab N2 P3 6.15 b 1.40 b 6.71 a 0.38 a 6.40 a 2.13 a 39.26 bc N3 P3 6.15 b 1.41 b 6.22 ab 0.38 a 6.40 a 2.15 a 39.27 bc Total solid (g %) Protein (g %) Total solu- ble solid (g %) Ash (g %) pH Reducingsugar (g %) Titratable acidity (mg citric acid equivalent) Fertilizer treatments Table III. Effects of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization on ascorbic acid, iron, phosphorus, calcium, sodium and potassium content of cabbage (amount per hundred g of edible portion). * Means with the same letter are not different from one another at the 5 % level of significance. Control 11.04 c 0.40 c 14.10 c 24.21 b 16.29 c 111.14 b N1 P1 11.10 c 0.42 c 14.12 c 24.30 b 17.31 c 111.19 b N1 P2 11.39 bc 0.47 b 14.43 bc 24.31 b 18.37 b 113.11 ab N1 P3 11.39 bc 0.46 b 14.41 bc 25.78 ab 18.40 b 113.20 ab N2 P1 11.40 bc 0.55 a 14.45 bc 27.07 a 19.15 a 113.20 ab N2 P2 11.41 bc 0.56 a 14.74 b 27.09 a 18.39 b 113.22 ab N2 P3 11.61 b 0.55 a 14.72 b 25.92 ab 18.39 b 113.21 ab N3 P1 11.62 b 0.49 ab 14.76 b 25.89 ab 18.36 b 114.51 a N3 P2 11.64 b 0.48 ab 14.78 b 25.88 ab 17.31 c 114.49 a N3 P3 13.10 a 0.49 ab 15.46 a 25.91 ab 18.32 b 114.50 a Ascorbic acid (mg %) Iron (mg %) Phosphorus (mg %) Calcium (mg %) Sodium (mg %) Potassium (mg %) The highest rate of N - P fertilizer gave the highest concentration of vitamin C. The mean value of vitamin C was found to be 13.10 (mg/100 g) at N3P3 treatment. It was significantly higher than the rest of the treat- ments. Ram et al found increased amount of ascorbic acid in cabbage by increasing fertil- izer rate.14 The next value (11.64) was by N3P2 treatment. Iron content in cabbage varied from 0.40 to 0.56 (mg/100 g). The highest value of iron were found from N2P2, N2P1 treatment which is closely followed by N2P3 treatment. The range of phosphorus accumulation in cabbage was 14.10 - 15.46 (mg %). The plot receiving N - P fertilizer at the rate of 180 kg N + 90 kg P2O5/ha produced maximum concentration of phos- phorus. The value is highly significant among the rest of treatment. Calcium content varied from 24.21 to 27.09 (mg/100 g). The highest value at N2P1 treatment where as the lowest at control plot. The accumulation of sodium was found to vary 16.29 to 19.15 (mg/100 g). The highest accumulation of sodium was found from N2P1 treatment. Potassium concentration ranged between 111.14 to 114.51 (mg/100 g), the lowest value being recorded from the control treatment. Conclusion The finding of the study indicate that appli- cation of nitrogen - phosphorus treatment improve the yield contributionary characters of cabbage leading to higher yield and better nutrition concern. So further research is needed in this direction with other varieties of cabbage to establish the present finding. Acknowledgement The authors are grateful to the Director, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka and the Director, IFST, Dhaka for their co-operation and help for providing laboratory facilities during the carry out of the work. References 1. Anonymous. Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation. Rome Production. Year Book. 41(1987) 176-177. 2. S. C. Mallik, B. B. Charya. Effect of differ- ent levels of nitrogen and different spacing on growth and yield of cabbage. Environment and Ecology. 14(2) (1996) 304-306. 3. F. Vice and J. Polach. Effect of principal plant nutrient on cabbage yield and quality. Hort. Abst. 50 (1980) 535. 4. N. H. Peck, L. D. Grunes, R. M. Welch and G. E. Mac Denald. Nutritional quality of vegetable crop as affected by phosphorus and zinc fertilizer. Agron. J. 72(3) (1980) 528-534. 5. J. Murkinski. Effect of mineral fertilizer on some nutrient values indices of cabbage. Soil and Fertilizer. 37(8) (1973) 235. 6. Officinal Method of Analysis of A.O.A.C. 1984 14th Ed. Virginia. U. S. A. Haque, Jahangir, Haque, Mondal, Jahan and Sarker 45 7. D. Pearson. The Chemical Analysis of Foods. (1976). Churchill, Livingstone Edinburg. London. 8. A Manual of Laboratory Techniques. Indian Council of Medical Research. (1971) Hyderabad. India. 9. R. G. D. Steel and J. H. Torrie. Principles and Proceduces of Statistics. Mc. Graw Hill Book Co. Inc. New York. (1960) 109 10. K. Srinivas. Growth yield of cabbage as spacing and fertilizer. Singapore Journal of Primary Industries. 10(1) (1982) 58-63. 11. F. M. Humadi and H. A. A. Hadi. Effect of different source and rates of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on the yield and quali- ty of cabbage. Journal of Agric. and Water Resource Plant Production. 7(2) 1988.249- 59. 12. B. K. Mohans and M. M. Hossain. A role on effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on cabbage. Orissa Journal of Horticulture. 26(1) (1998) 106-108. 13. T. Tanaka and T. Sato. Growth and nutrient absorption characteristics of three commer- cial cabbage cultivar under varying nitrogen levels. Japanese Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 68(5) (1997) 493-500. 14. K. Ram and R. K. Sharma. Effect of nitrogen supply on growth yield and ascorbic acid content of cabbage. Poon. Agric. Coll. J. 59 (122) (1969) 25-29. 46 Yield and Nutritional Quality 41(1-2) 2006