EFFECT OF SOWING TIME AND FERTILIZERS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF INDIA SPINACH (Base/la alba L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the experimental field of Sher-e- Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from February to May 2007 to study the effect of sowing time and fertilizers on growth and yield of Indian spinach. The experiment considered two factors. Factor A: Sowing time (3 levels) i.e. Sowing on 19 February 2007 (T1); Sowing on 06 March 2007 (T2) and Sowing on 21 March 2007 (T3) and Factor B: Fertilizers (4 levels) i.e. Control (Fo); Cowdung (25 t/ha)(f 1); Poultry litter (15 t/ha) (F2) and Inorganic fertilizers (F3)-Urea (400 kg/ha), TSP (120 kg/ha), and MP (180 kg/ha). Data were collected in respect of plant growth characters and yield at different days after sowing. At 60 DAS the longest plant height (87.32 cm) was recorded from T2 (sowing on 06 March, 2007), while the shortest (83.66 cm) was recorded from T1 (Sowing on 19 February 2007). The maximum number of leaves (73.45) per plant was recorded from T2, while the minimum number of leaves (70.95) per plant was recorded from T1• The maximum dry matter content (13.69%) was recorded from T2, while the minimum dry matter content (11.90%) was recorded from T The maximum yield ( 19 .86 t/ha) was recorded from T 2, while the minimum yield (16.37 t/ha) was recorded from T1• At 60 DAS the longest plant height (92.11 cm) was recorded from F3 and the shortest (67.56 cm) was recorded from Fo (Control).The 1• by Kazi Abdul Quader ABSTRACT maximum number of leaves (78.89) per plant was recorded from F3 and the minimum (52.19) was recorded from F0. The maximum dry matter content (13.63%) was recorded from F3 and the minimum (10.86%) was recorded from F0. The maximum yield (19.71 t/ha) was recorded from F3 and the minimum (14.12 t/ha) was recorded from Fo. Interaction between sowing time and fertilizers for all the recorded characters showed significant differences for different days after sowing. The maximum net return (Tk. 366,426/ha) was obtained from the treatment combination of T2F3 and the minimum net return (Tk. 142.360/ha) was obtained in T1Fo. The maximum benefit cost ratio (5.41) was attained from the combination T2F3 and the minimum benefit cost ratio (2.78) was obtained from T1Fo.