Studies on the effect of plant population density and age at transplanting on the growth, frequency of harvest and total vegetative yield in amaranthus (Amaranthus gangetlcus Linn.)”

Abstract

Investigations wore undertaken at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani to study the effect of plant population density sad age at transplanting on the growth, frequency of harvest and total vegetative yield in amaranthus. Bach of -the three groups of amaranth seedlings aged 15 days (A1,20 days (A2) end 25 days (A3) were transplanted, at three spacings namely 10 x 10 cm (S1). 15 x 10 cm (S2) end 20 x 10 cm (S3) In the population density trial low density plants (transplanted at 20 x 10 cm) exhibited overall better growth and quality characteristics. With regard to all the characters contributing to yield/harvest;, and total yield, except yield/unit area, the low density plants exhibited their clear superiority over the medium, density and high density plants.Increased number of harvests was also obtained when planted at wider spacing. However for obtaining higher yield/unit area, transplanting at 10 x 10 cm seemed to have advantage over the others. Such closely planted amaranthus came to flowering faster than the widely spaced ones. The investigation carried out with a view to understanding the effect of age at transplanting on the growth,c yield and quality in amaranth, revealed that the 25 day-old seedlings when transplanted gave better growth. With regard to the quality aspects also, the 25 day-old seedlings seemed to have a slight edge over the others. However these plants showed early initiation of flowering, thus limiting the number of possible harvests. Further,when yield and yield attributes were considered, the 15 end 20 day-old seedlings performed better. Considering all the aspects together, transplanting of 15 to 20 day-old seedlings can be recommended for obtaining higher weight of leaves/plant, higher weight of stem/plant, better leaf/stem ratio, higher yield/plant, higher yield/m end more number of harvests.