Effect of organic and inorganic source of nutrient and their combination on growth, yield and quality of Palak (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis)

A field experiment entitled “Effect of Organic and Inorganic Source of Nutrient and their Combination on Growth, Yield and Quality of Palak (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis)” was conducted during rabi, 2024-25 at Instructional Farm, School of Agricultural Sciences, Dabok, Udaipur to find out the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality of palak, to explore whether application of organic nutrients can fulfil the recommended dose of fertilizers and to work out an economically viable treatment. The experiment consisted of 10 treatment combinations including four with 100% RDF along with vermicompost, FYM and PSB in combination or alone, five with 50% RDF along with vermicompost, FYM and PSB in combination or alone and control which were evaluated under randomized block design with 3 replications. The findings showed that the highest values for growth and yield attributes viz., plant height, number of leaves plant-1, leaf length and width were recorded with application of 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer + 50% RDF through Vermicompost + PSB. The maximum total leaf yield plot-1 and ha-1 (11.16 kg and 29.07 q ha-1) was also recorded with application of 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer + 50% RDF through Vermicompost + PSB which was statistically at par with 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDF through FYM + 25% RDF through Vermicompost + PSB. The palak crop accumulated highest dry matter content and chlorophyll content with the application of 50% RDF through inorganic fertilizer + 50% RDF through Vermicompost + PSB. The aforesaid treatment also fetched highest net return (₹196062 ha-1) contrary highest B-C ratio (3.0) was recorded under treatment 100% RDF through inorganic fertilizer.