Phenological Charateristics of Brassica Napus L. as Influenced by Biochar Application and Shoot Cutting Duration (Days)

Abstract

Biochar is an organic amendment produced by a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is the burning of biomass in a limited oxygen environment. In the recent past, agricultural use of biochar has been steadily increasing and attracting research interest. Biochar has been shown to reduce leaching of critical nutrients thereby providing greater soil availability and crop uptake.  experiment entitled “biochar application and shoot cutting duration influenced phenology and morphology rapeseed (Brassica napus L) was conducted at Agriculture Research farm Matta (Swat) during Rabi season 2012-13. The field experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) having four replications. The sub plot size was kept 5 m x 2.7 m having 6 rows with 0.45 m apart. Four levels of biochar (0, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 tons ha^-1) and five levels of shoot cutting duration after date of sowing (ADS), (no cutting, 30 days ADS, 40 days ADS, 50 days ADS and 60 days ADS) were used in the experiment with the test cultivar Dunkled. From the results it is observed that rapeseed cultivar positively responded for days to flowering, days to maturity, number of branches plant^-1, H.I %,  and maximum days to flowering (111), days to maturity (160), number of branches plant^-1 (11), number of pods per plant (172) and harvest index (14%) was observed in plot treated with 10 ton biochar ha^-1. Similarly highest days to maturity, number of branches per plant, (50 days ADS), and H.I (13% DAS) was noted in 50 DAS shoot cutting plot followed by shoot cutting after 60 days of sowing ADS plots while On the basis of the result it was concluded that shoot cutting with 10 ton biochar ha^-1 produced highest branches per plant, number of pods plant^-1, harvest index and other phonological components in the agro- climatic condition of swat valley.

Keywords: Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), biochar, ADS, shoot cutting, phenology