2024, Vol. 7, Special Issue 7

author(s)
DH Solanki, Dr. VB Bhalu, Dr. SK Chhodavadia, SJ Bhedela, RK Zalavadiya and BR Usadadiya

abstract
A field experiment entitled “Influence of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield attributes and yield of grain amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) under South Saurashtra condition” was conducted on medium black calcareous soil at Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh (Gujarat) during rabi season of 2022-23. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The experiment comprising 8 integrated nutrient management treatments viz., Control (T₁), 100% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₂), Vermicompost 1 t/ha + 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₃), Vermicompost 1 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₄), Enriched compost 5 t/ha + 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₅), Enriched compost 5 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₆), FYM 5 t/ha + 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₇) and FYM 5 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer (T₈). The results of the experiment indicated that application of enriched compost 5 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer, followed by FYM 5 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer and 100% RDF through inorganic fertilizer improved growth attributes viz., plant height, stem girth, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity and yield attributes viz., spike length, no. of spikelets/spike, test weight, harvest index which ultimately resulted in higher grain and stover yields of amaranth. On the basis of the results obtained from one year field study, it can be concluded that higher production from rabi grain amaranth can be achieved by application of enriched compost 5 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer or FYM 5 t/ha + 75% RDF through inorganic fertilizer or 100% RDF through inorganic fertilizer.