EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND SPACING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF INDIAN SPINACH (Binella aTha L)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Dhaka, during the period of April 10 July 2007, to find out the optimum nitrogen level and spacing on growth and yield of Indian spinach. The experiment consisted of two factors, Factor A: Four levels of nitrogen viz. No: 0 kg N/ha, Nj: 100 kg N/ha, N,: 120 ke N/ha and N3 : 140 kg N/ha and factor B : Three levels of spacing viz. S j 60 cm 60 cm 30 cm and S.1: 60 cm x 40 cm. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design(RCBD) with three replications. In case of Nitrogen. N.1 performed maximum plant height (10499 cm), number of leaves (87.59). leaf area (369.32 cm), dry matter content/plant (1050%) and highest yield (22.55 t/ha) while the shortest plant height (81.91cm), number of leaves (54 78), leaf area (28 1.37 x 20 cm, c111 2). dry matter contcnt;plaitt (7.85%) and lowest yield (15.96 t/ha) was recorded from Nc,.For spacing. S2 performed maximum leaf area (356.24 cni2 ), dry matter content/plant (10.71%) and yield (23.62 t/ha) while the minimum number of leaves/plant (73.72). dry matter content/plant (8.84%) and lowest yield (16.99 t/ha) was recorded from S3 For combined effect the maximum plant height (107.22 cm), number of leaves (89.67), leaf area (387.25 cm). dry matter content/plant (12 09%) and highest yield (25.82 tiha) was obtained from N1S2 while N11S3 contributed the lowest yield (14.71 t/ha). The highest (2.65) benefit cost ratio was recorded from NS 2 and the lowest benefit cost ratio (1.25) was recorded from Nc.S 3 . So 140kg N/ha with 60 cm x 30 cm spacing can be used to obtain higher growth and yield of Indian Spinach.