Plastic mulch and indigenous microorganism effects on yield and yield components of cauliflower and tomato in inland and coastal regions of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

Production gaps exist in vegetable crops at the farm level in inland and coastal regions of Bangladesh and these gaps could be minimized using different innovative/new agricultural technologies and improved crop management practices. The present study was conducted to compare yield, yield components of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and income of smallholder vegetable farmers within different innovative technology practices (with plastic mulch and indigenous microorganism (IMO) vs. without plastic mulch and IMO) at Baliakandi, Rajbari (inland region); and Dashmina, Patuakhali; and Charfession, Bhola (coastal region) in Bangladesh. Yield and gross margins of cauliflower and tomato with plastic mulch and IMO were higher compared with no plastic mulch and no IMO, regardless of location. At Baliakandi, Rajbari, cauliflower yield with plastic mulch was 42.5 t ha^–1, which was a 24.3% improvement over cauliflower yield obtained without plastic mulch (34.2 t ha^–1). At Charfession, Bhola, the highest yield of tomato (57.6 t ha^–1) was obtained with IMO compared with tomato yield (49.2 t ha^–1) without IMO, indicating a 17.1% improvement in yield. Similar trends were obtained at Dashmina, Patuakhali. The difference in gross margin between tomato with and without plastic mulch was US$ 1146 ha^–1 at Dashmina, Patuakhali. Similar trends were obtained in other locations. Innovative agricultural technologies have the potential to increase yield and income of smallholder vegetable farmers in inland and coastal regions of Bangladesh.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous microorganism
• plastic mulch
• profitability
• vegetable productivity
• yield difference

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the farmers who participated in the farmers’ field trials.

Funding

The authors thank the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (cooperative agreement number: AID-486-A-13-00004) and the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, for providing financial assistance in the form of a scholarship to the first author for graduate studies at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.

Additional information

Funding

The authors thank the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (cooperative agreement number: AID-486-A-13-00004) and the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, for providing financial assistance in the form of a scholarship to the first author for graduate studies at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.