Abstract

                                A field experiment was conducted to fix the optimum dose of N, P and K fertilizers and spacing levels for realizing higher seed yield associated with good quality characters in grain amaranth cv. Suvarna. The effect of fertilizer at three different schedules viz., NPK @ 30:10:10; 40:20:20 and 50:30:30 kg ha-1 and three different spacing viz., 45 X 10 cm2; 45 X 15 cm2 and 45 X 20 cm2 on plant morphological characters viz., plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, number of spikelet spike-1, spike length, spike breadth and seed physiological characters viz., 100 seed weight, germination, vigour index and protein content were evaluated. The combined effect of fertilization of NPK and spacing of 45 x 15 cm2 significantly improved the plant height, spike length and breadth. Though the seed yield per plot was lower by 17.7 per cent than closer spacing, fore-going yield, grain amaranth could be spaced as 45 x 15 cm2 and fertilized as 50:30:30 kg ha-1 for higher quality seed yield.

Key words : Grain amaranth, fertilizer, spacing, seed, yield, quality