Effects of vermicompost and PK on growth and protein content of spinach (Spinacia oleracia L.)

Abstract

Results of a pot experiment carried out on spinach with vermicompost (5, 10 and 15 ton/ha), phospho-rous (10, 20 and 30 kg/ha) and potassium (20, 30 and 40 kg/ha) fertilizers showed that plant height, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of plants increased significantly (p ≤ 0.5) over the control. Highest height (23.55 cm), leaf area (80.88 cm²/plant), fresh weight (3.838 g/plant) and dry weight (0.274 g/plant) were maximum in VC₁₅P₂₀K₃₀, VC₁₅P₃₀K₃₀, VC₁₀P₂₀K₃₀ and VC₁₀P₁₀K₄₀, respectively, while leaf number was almost same in all the plants. Highest protein content (24.61%) was obtained in the treatment VC₁₅P₁₀K₂₀. Highest dry matter of leaf was obtained at VC₁₀P₁₀K₄₀, but the highest protein content was at VC₁₅P₁₀K₂₀ which might be due to dilution effect. Similar values of protein content were obtained in treatments VC₅P₂₀K₃₀, VC₅P₂₀K₄₀, VC₅P₃₀K₂₀, VC₁₅P₁₀K40, VC₁₅P₂₀K₃₀ and VC₁₅P₃₀K₂₀. Maximum value of nitrogen, phosphorous (1.621%) and potassium (4.066%) were obtained in treatments VC₅P₂₀K₂₀ and VC₁₀ P₃₀ K₄₀, VC₁₅ P₁₀ K₂₀, respectively.