EFFECT OF NITROGEN ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND YIELD OF RED AMARANTH (Amaranthus spp.)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during November to December (Rabi season), 2015 to find out the effect of different levels of nitrogen on growth parameters and yield of red amaranth. The experiment comprised of three red amaranth varieties viz. BARI Lalshak-1, Altapety, and Local variety which were grown with four levels of nitrogen viz. 0, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1. The experiment was chalked out in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Along with variety and nitrogen, the interaction showed significant variation in case of most of the parameters studied. The highest plant height (37.81 cm), maximum number of leaves plant-1 (14.50), stem diameter (9.93 mm), leaf area (538.0 cm2),fresh weight plant-1 (27.07 g), dry weight plant-1 (1.11 g) and yield (12.71 t ha-1) were recorded from the variety BARI Lalshak-1 at harvest (36 days after sowing) whereas the minimum from Local variety. Considering different level nitrogen the highest plant height (36.67 cm), number of leaves plant-1 (13.78), stem diameter (9.74 mm), dry weight plant-1 (1.03 g) and yield (12.73 t ha-1) were obtained from 90 kg N ha-1, while the minimum from 0 kg N ha-1. The maximum leaf area (503.2 cm2) and weight plant-1 (23.48 g) were from 120 kg N ha-1 and the minimum from control dose. BARI Lalshak-1 with 90 kg N ha-1 provided the highest plant height (44.73 cm), number of leaves plant-1 (15.67), stem diameter (10.83 mm), leaf area (622.20 cm2), weight plant-1 (30.90 g), dry weight plant-1 (1.32 g) and yield (14.80 t ha-1) while the lowest from Local variety with control dose except plant height.