Effect of essential nutrient elements, on the productivity and performance of spinach, Spinacea oleracea under Tandojam conditions [Pakistan]

The present study was carried out to assess the effect of essential nutrient elements (NPK) on the growth and productivity performance of spinach, at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, during the winter season of 1999- 2000. Six NPK levels including a control (0, 35-50-50, 60-60-50, 85-70-50, 110- 80-50 and 135-90-50 kg /ha.) were included in a randomized complete block design having a net plot size of 9 m. All P and 1/4th of the nitrogen was applied at the time of sowing, while remaining nitrogen was applied in three split doses i.e. before 1st cutting, before 2nd cutting and before 3rd cutting). All the required observations were recorded and the data thus obtained were subjected to statistical analysis, using L.S.D. test following Gomez and Gomez (1984). Plots received higher NPK levels of 135-90-50 or 110-80-50 kg per hectare produced significantly maximum length of leaves (24.79 cm and 23.86 cm), followed by NPK levels of 85-70-50 and 60-60-50 kg per hectare with mean leaves length of 20.99 cm and 17.23 cm respectively and minimum leaves length (8.14 cm) was recorded in control. The differences between all the treated plots were highly significant (P less than 0.01). The crop given highest NPK level of 135-90-50 kg per hectare produced significantly maximum number of leaves (7.85 cm), followed by NPK levels of 110-80-50, 85-70-50 and 60-60-50 kg per hectare with mean number of leaves of 7.22 cm, 7.35 and 6.48 cm respectively, while the lowest number of leaves per plant on average (3.76 cm) was obtained under control treatment. The differences between all the treatments were significant (P0.05) either when comparison was made within treated plots or with the control. The crop treated with higher NPK levels of 135-90-50 kg and 110-80-50 kg per hectare produced significantly greater weight of leaves (62.67 a and 61.67 g), followed by NPK levels of 85-70-50 and 60-60-50 kg per hectare where, weight of leaves recorded was 57.00 g and 51.67 g respectively. The minimum weight of leaves per plant on average (38.67 g) was recorded in case of control. The differences between all the treatment means were highly significant either when treated plots were compared with each other or compared with control. The plots received higher NPK levels of 135-90-50 kg and 110-80-50 kg per hectare produced significantly greater green leaves yield (12.10 kg and 11.30 kg), followed by NPK levels of 85-70-50 and 60-60-50 kg per hectare where yield per plot recorded was 8.55 kg and 6.53 kg on average respectively. The lowest green leaves yield on average (3.39 kg) was achieved from the control plots. The differences between all the means where significant at 1 percent level either when comparison was made within treated plots and compared with control except T5 and T6 where non-significant differences were observed. The plots received higher NPK levels of 135-90-50 kg and 110-80-50 kg per hectare produced significantly greater green leaves yield (13.44 m.t and 12.88 m.t), followed by NPK levels of 85-70-50 and 60-60-50 kg per hectare where yield per recorded was 9.46 m.t and 7.26 m.t on average respectively. The lowest green leaves yield on average (3.77 m.t) was achieved from the control plots. The results further exhibit that such improvement in green leaves yield per hectare under higher NPK levels was mainly associated with increased number, length and weight of single plant leaves, which ultimately affected green leaves yield per plot in positive manner. The treatments comparison described that the differences between all the means were significant (P0.01), while differences between T5 and T6 were non-significant (P0.05). Thus, T5 110-80-50 kg NPK per hectare proved to be economical and was considered optimum nutrients combination.