EFFECT OF INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON GROWTH, LEAF YIELD AND ECONOMICS OF SPINACH (BETA VULGARIS L.) VAR. PUSA JYOTI

The present investigation entitled “Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, leaf yield and economics of spinach (Beta vulgaris L.) var. Pusa Jyoti” was carried out during kharif 2016-17 (first year), 2017-18 (second year) and pooled at the Experimental field, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, RVSKVV, Datia (M.P.) with 16 treatment combinations of three levels of inorganic fertilizers i.e. 50% RDF (75:40:50 kg NPK ha-1), 75% RDF (112.5:60:75 kg NPK ha-1) and 100% RDF control (150:80:100 kg NPK ha-1), three organic manure i.e. 20 t FYM ha-1, 10 t vermicompost (VC) ha-1 and 7.5 t poultry manure (PM) ha-1 and two bio-fertilizers viz,. 5 kg Azotobacter (Azo) ha-1 and 5 kg PSB ha-1.Experiments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Results revealed that the application of 75% RDF + 10 t Vermicompost ha-1 + 5 kg PSB ha-1 + 5 kg Azotobacter ha-1 (T8)was recorded significantly maximum plant height, number of leaves plant-1, fresh and dry weight ofleaves plant-1 and leaves yield hectare-1at first year, second year and pooledas compared to control. The net return of Rs 1,79,592 ha-1 and cost benefit ratio 1: 3.88 was found maximum with the application of 75% RDF + 7.5 t Poultry Manure ha-1 + 5kg PSB ha-1 + 5 kg Azotobacter ha-1(T12) it also gave the leafyield 241.93 q ha-1(Rank third and at par with T8) but the significantly maximum leaf yield of 253.57 q ha-1 was obtained in the treatment T8 (75% RDF + 10 t Vermicompost ha-1 + 5 kg PSB ha-1 + 5 kg Azotobacter ha-1)it was gave net return of Rs 1,50,232 ha-1 and cost benefit ratio 1: 2.45 as compared to treatment T14 (50% RDF + 10 t VC ha-1 + 5 kg Azo. ha-1 + 5kgPSBha-1).Due to high price of vermicompost, the net returns and cost: benefit ratio of the treatments with vermicompost were relatively low in spite of high green yield and gross return when compared with that of Poultry Manure.Applicationof75% RDF + 7.5 t Poultry Manure ha-1 + 5kg PSB ha-1 + 5 kg Azotobacter ha-1 was economically viable treatment