EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON THE GROWTH AND VEGETATIVE YIELD OF RED AMARANTH (Amaranthus tricolor)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Research Field, Department of Soil Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during the period from December 2022 to March 2023 in Rabi season to evaluate the efficacy of different organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and vegetative yield of red amaranth. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) having six treatments with three replications. The treatments were as follows; T1 = Control, T2 = 100% NPKS, T3 = 50% NPKS + 4 t ha-1 cow dung, T4 = 75% NPKS + 2.5 t ha-1 cow dung, T5 = 50% NPKS + 4 t ha-1 vermicompost, T6 = 75% NPKS + 2.5 t ha-1 vermicompost. The experimental soil belongs to the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain (AEZ-1). The soil was sandy loam in texture having pH 5.58, organic matter content 1%, total N 0.015%, available P 18.51 ppm, exchangeable K 0.07 meq 100 g-1 soil and available S 9.54 ppm. Application of organic and inorganic fertilizers resulted in a considerable influence on the properties of the post-harvest soils such as the highest total N (0.023 %), available S (26.89 ppm) and soil organic matter content (1.34 %) and EC (0.07 mSm-1) in T6 treatment. The application of organic and inorganic fertilizers had a significant effect on the growth and vegetative yield of red amaranth. The highest plant height (8.81, 17.62, 24.51 and 32.15 cm at 15, 30, 45 DAS and at harvest, respectively), number of leaves (7.51, 9.41, 9.92 and 10.60 at 15, 30, 45 DAS and harvest, respectively), fresh and dry shoot weight (1.57 and 0.13 t ha-1, respectively), fresh and dry root weight (0.689 and 0.056 t ha-1, respectively) and the longest root length (7.59 cm) were observed in T6 treatment. The lowest values of all the parameters were noticed in the control treatment (T1). It was obvious that fertility of soil and vegetative growth of red amaranth can be increased substantially with the judicious application of organic fertilizers with chemical fertilizers. The findings of the study showed that the performance of treatment T6 was the best among all treatments. This study recommends that amendment of soil with 75% NPKS + 2.5 t ha-1 vermicompost might be an efficient practice for achieving sustainable soil fertility and vegetative growth of red amaranth.