Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STANDARDIZATION OF GROWING MEDIA FOR PALAK (BETAVULGARIS VAR. BENGALENSIS) VAR. ARKA ANUPAMA UNDERSHADE NET CONDITIONS

Gopu, B., P. Mathankumar, R. Kumaresh and C. Kanimozhi

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to find out the effect of different growing media on the growth and yield of palak var. Arka Anupama under shade nut conditions at RVS Agricultural College, Thanjavur. Theexperiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with eight treatments and three replication.The treatments are T1 : Digested coir compost + FYM (1:1 ratio), T2 : Digested coir compost + Vermicompost(1:1 ratio), T3 : Digested coir compost + Red Soil (1:1 ratio), T4 : Digested coir compost + Red soil + FYM(2:1:1 ratio), T5 : Digested coir compost + Red soil + Vermicompost (2:1:1 ratio), T6 : Digested coir compost+ FYM + Vermicompost (2:1:1 ratio), T7 : Digested coir compost + Red soil + FYM + Vermicompost (1:1:1:1ratio) and T8 : Digested coir compost (control). The results of the experiment revealed that the highest plantheight, highest number of leaves per plant, highest leaf length and highest length of root at the time ofharvest was recorded in the treatment T6. The yield characters the highest yield per plant and highest yieldper bag at the time of harvest was recorded in the treatment T6. However, the treatment T8 registered thelowest yield per plant and per bag.