EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVEL OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SPINACH (Spinacia Oleracea L.)
ABSTRACT
The aim of this experiment / study was to compare the effects of different combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of a local spinach variety (Sindhi Palak) in a private field in 2023. The experiment was laid out in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with the three replications and the seven treatments. Included T₁ = Control,T2 = 40 kg N ha-1,T3 = 40 kg N+ 3 tons FYM ha-1, T4 = 50 kg N +5 tons FYM ha-1 The results revealed that spinach plantation nourished with 75 kg N + 6ha FYM produced the plants of 38.42 cm height on average, produced 19.05 leaves plant, 44.31 g fresh weight, took 24.33 days to first cutting, 24.47 cm leaf length.The crop fertilized with 75 kg N + 4t ha FYM produced plants of 34.05 cm height, 17.26 leaves plant, 40.02 g fresh weight, took 25.00 days to first cutting, 22.97 cm leaf length. The crop given 75 kg N ha-1 only (no FYM) produced plants of 31.76 cm height, 15.73 leaves plant’, 36.34 g fresh weight, took 25.67 days to first cutting, 19.55 cm leaf length.The values for almost all the characters declined with decreasing N and FYM levels and spinach crop given 50 kg N ha-1 + 5 t ha-1 FYM, produced plants of 30.97 cm height, 15.70 leaves plant, 36.28 g fresh weight, took 27.00 days to first cutting, 19.50cm leaf length,The treatment 40 kg N ha-1 +3 t ha-1 FYM, 40 kg ha-1 N (without FYM) as well as control resulted in decline in value for all the traits investigated, minimum being in control. It was concluded that the spinach growth and yield was substantially higher under combined application of organic manures (FYM) in addition to inorganic nitrogen (as urea); and 75 kg N+ 6 ha-1 FYM resulted in optimum crop performance; while decrease in N, FYM or N application without FYM showed adverse impact on spinach yields.