GROWTH AND YIELD OF QUINOA (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) AS AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT SOWING METHODS AND FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Agriculture Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRONOMY

A field experiment was conducted at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during November 2021 to February 2022 in Rabi season to examine the effect of different sowing methods and fertilizer management on growth and yield of quinoa. The experiment consisted of three sowing methods (viz. M - Broadcast sowing method, M 2 - Line sowing method and M - Bed sowing method) and five fertilizer management level (viz. F 1 3 - No fertilizer (control), F - 150-100-100-5010-5 kg N, P 2 O 5, K 2 O, S, Zn, B (RFD) ha -1 , F 3 2 1 - 150-100-100-50-10-5 kg N, P K 2 O, S, Zn, B (RFD) ha -1 + 10 t cowdung ha -1 and F 4 - 150-100-100 kg N, P K 2 O ha -1 + 10 t cowdung ha -1 and F 5 - 150-100-100 kg N, P O). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Sowing methods were allocated in main plots and fertilizer management in sub-plots. Results revealed that different growth characters, yield and yield contributing characters of quinoa were significantly influenced by sowing methods, fertilizer management and their interactions. Among different sowing methods, bed sowing method resulted in maximum plant height (45.66 cm), dry weight (7.04 g plant 2 ), seed yield (3.23 g plant -1 ),seed yield (2.52 t ha -1 O 5, K 2 ), straw yield (1.20 t ha ), biological yield (3.71 t ha -1 ) and harvest index (68.369 %). The highest number of leaves plant -1 , number of branches plant -1 1 ), seed yield (3.02 t ha -1 , SPAD values, seed yield (3.68 g plant ), biological yield (4.39 t ha -1 ) and harvest index (68.79%) were recorded in F fertilizer management at different growth stages and at harvest. Interaction between bed sowing method and F 3 fertilizer level resulted in highest seed yield (3.09 t ha -1 3 ) and biological yield (4.51 t ha -1 ) at harvest. From the above results it was appeared that bed sowing method and F fertilizer level resulted in highest values in most of the yield attributing characters and their interaction provided the best seed yield (3.09 t ha -1 ) and biological yield value (4.51 t ha