Impact of planting geometry and nutrient strategies on growth and yield of grain amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat during the rabi season of 2019-20 to study the effect of spacing and nutrient management on growth parameters, yield attributes and yield of grain amaranth. Grain amaranth grown at spacing 45 cm between row resulted in higher plant height (121.71 cm), stem girth (3.69 cm), spike length (44.49 cm), length of spikelets (10.74 cm), number of spikelets/spike (62.41), seed yield (1403.28 kg/ha) and stover yield (2841.27 kg/ha). Moreover, among nutrient management treatments, 50% RDF + 50% RDN through bio-compost resulted in higher higher plant height (123.50 cm), stem girth (3.79 cm), spike length (45.12 cm), length of spikelets (10.92 cm) and number of spikelets/spike (63.30), seed yield (1462.50 kg/ha) and stover yield (2961.02 kg/ha). Growing grain amaranth at 45 cm spacing and applying 50% RDF + 50% RDN through bio-compost results in better growth and higher yield.