Effect of time of sowing, stage of harvest and plant population on fibre yield and quality of mesta (Hibiscus sabdariffa) under dryland condition

A field experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Bijapur (Karnataka), in medium black soil during 1998 and 1999. The experiment comprised 24 treatments, consisting of 4 dates of sowing (first fortnight of July, second fortnight of July, first fortnight of August and second fortnight of August), 2 stages of harvest (at 50% flowering and at maturity) and 3 plant populations (0.22, 0.33 and 0.66 million plants/ha). The experiment was laid out in split-split plot design with 3 replications. Pooled results of 2 years showed that, fibre yield, green matter, green stalk, dry stalk yields and fibre recovery were significantly higher with early planting during first fortnight of July compared to later sowing dates of second fortnight of July, first fortnight of August and second fortnight of August. Fibre quality with respect to fineness increased, while strength decreased significantly with delay in sowing time from first fortnight of July to secod fortnight of August. Stage of harvesting did not cause significant differences in green stalk, dry stalk and fibre yields, while green matter yield was significantly higher when the corp was harvested at 50% flowering compared to maturity. Fibre fineness was greater at maturity compared to 50% flowering. Fibre strength did not vary significantly due to stage of harvesting. Fibre yield increased significantly with increase in plant population from 0.22 million/ha (484 kg/ha) to 0.33 million/ha (559 (kg/ha) and with further increase in plant population to 0.66 million/ha (604 kg/ha) no significant increase was noticed. Dry-stalk yield followed similar tend. However, green matter and green stalk yields increased significantly with successive increase in plant population from 0.22 to 0.66 million/ha.