Variety and NPK Rate Effect on Growth and Yield of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) in the Bediese Soil Series at Asante Mampong in Ghana

Cabbage is one of the major vegetables cultivated on large scale in Asante Mampong for sale in the Ashanti Region and beyond. Low yield due to low yielding cultivars and inappropriate use of fertilizers is a setback in cabbage production in the area. The growth and yield response of three cabbage varieties to three NPK (15:15:15) rates was evaluated in a 3 x 3 factorial experiment conducted in Asante Mampong, Ghana in 2015. The cabbage varieties (Sahel F1, Fortune and Super Cross) and NPK rates (90 kg/ha, 120 kg/ha and 150 kg/ha) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. With the exception of root weight, there was no significant interaction effect of the treatments on the parameters studied. Although the number of leaves per plant was similar among the fertilizer rates, the higher NPK rates resulted in more leaves. The application of 120 kg/ha NPK gave the greatest yield (28.1 t/ha) and this was 18.9% and 17.8% more than the 150 kg/ha and 90 kg/ha rates respectively. The variety, Fortune, had the greatest head circumference, head diameter and head weight and it gave the greatest yield (29.2 t/ha). Application of 120 kg/ha NPK (15:15:15) and cultivation of the Fortune variety could help increase the yield and possibly income of cabbage growers in Asante Mampong.