Mean performance of leafy Amaranthus genotypes under different seasonal conditions in Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh

Introduction

Amaranthus, a highly nutritious leafy and pseudocereal grain crop, belongs to the family Amaranthaceae and reported as highly cross pollinated crop. It has gained renewed attention as a promising food crop due to its resistance to heat, drought, diseases and pests. Additionally, its unique C-4 metabolic pathway contributes to its wide adaptability across diverse environmental conditions (Kaul et al. 1996) [5] . The Himalayan region is considered as the center of diversity for this crop, and it is mainly grown for grain production in Uttarakhand. Cultivation of Amaranth has also expanded in parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, contributing to nutritional security in these areas. This crop has the potential to increase production with limited inputs and can thrive across a wide range of agro-ecological zones (Jangir et al. 2019) [4] . Despite the introduction of various strains through collection and selection programs, there is a lack of comprehensive evaluation studies on yield, attributing traits, and qualitative parameters across different seasons (Shukla and Singh 2003) [13] . In the context of climate change and the growing expansion of arid areas worldwide, farmers are increasingly seeking crops with nutritional benefits that require minimal inputs. Such crops can be utilized in multiple ways and can grow alongside other crops, helping to enhance productivity in dry areas, where irrigation is limited. Recognizing the significance of nutritious crops like Amaranthus and the need to promote their cultivation across different regions of the country, an experiment was conducted to evaluate both the quantitative and qualitative traits of various leafy Amaranth varieties. The study aimed to assess these traits across multiple seasons to better understand their performance under varying environmental conditions. This research is essential for identifying the most suitable varieties for different agro-ecological zones, thereby contributing to improved crop productivity and nutritional security.

Materials and Methods

The experimental material for this study consisted of nine genotypes of Amaranthus spp., including three released varieties and six accessions from the local collection of Madhya Pradesh. During the period of 2017-18, these accessions were identified for leaf production and its attributing traits specifically in the Kharif and Rabi seasons. Following this identification, an experiment was conducted under the State Plan Project, DARP, RVSKVV, College of Agriculture, Indore, during the year 2018-19 respectively, covering both Kharif and Rabi seasons. The experimental design used was a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. In each replication, 2x2 meter square plots were arranged, with row spacing of 40 cm and plant spacing of 15 cm. Under dryland conditions, farmyard manure (FYM) was applied at a rate of 10 t/ha, along with a basal dose of NPK fertilizers (30 kg N, 20 kg P, 10 kg K/ha.). These fertilizers were applied using urea, single superphosphate, and muriate of potash, respectively. The urea was split into three doses-one basal and the remaining two were applied at each harvest, i.e., 32-34 and 55 days after sowing. Irrigation scheduling was not required in the Kharif season, but in the Rabi season, irrigation was applied immediately after sowing with a minimum of two irrigations at 15 days intervals thereafter. All good agricultural practices were followed to ensure healthy crop growth. Leafy Amaranthus was harvested at 34 and 32 days after sowing in the Kharif and Rabi seasons respectively, by clipping the shoots 15 cm above ground level. Quantitative and qualitative traits were recorded in both seasons and the data were analyzed statistically. The study aimed to evaluate the mean performance of the Amaranthus accessions under different seasonal conditions, providing insights into their adaptability and yield potential for leaf production.

Results and Discussion

The data analysis of leafy Amaranthus under dryland condition during the Kharif and Rabi seasons of the year 2018-19, revealed significant variability in growth, yield, and quality across genotypes, were shown in Table -1 [2] for germination percentage. The higher germination percentage during Kharif season, might be due to the prevalence of favourable conditions and the genotype's interaction with the environment. [17] for plant height, number of leaf and maturity. Shukla et al. (2006) [14] for foliage yield for two successive seasons. Rivelli et al. (2008) [11] for biomass yield. Mandal and Dhangarh (2012) [6] and Mandal et al. (2013) [7] for leaf stem ratio and foliage yield. Mbwambo et al. (2015) [8] for foliage yield over the two seasons. Sarker et al. (2015) [12] for biological yield. Shukla et al. (2016) [15] for foliage yield. Panda et al. (2017) [9] for plant height, number of leaves per plant, stem girth, leaf length, leaf breadth, petiole length, leaf area, stem weight, leaf weight, leaf-stem ratio and yield per plant. Tejaswini et al. (2017) [16] for leaf length, leaf width, leaf area index, leaf weight per plant, total foliage yield per plant and total chlorophyll content. Jangde et al. (2018) [3] for plant height, number of branches per plant, stem base diameter, number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, petiole length, plant fresh weight, fresh leaf weight, fresh stem weight, leaf stem ratio and leaf yield (kg/plot). Dinssa et al. (2019) [1] for vegetable yield over the two seasons. Pharle et al. (2019) [10] for duration of harvesting in Amaranthus. The plant height is considered as one of the important trait for growth and vigour of the plant. In present experiment, the genotypes exhibited significant differences for the plant height at different stages of the growth in both the seasons. The genotypes showed higher stem diameter, taken into account for further work in stem diameter ratio. The higher stem yield is a contributing trait to leaf yield, which is also influenced by the number of branches, total plant weight, and number of leaves. An increase in the number of leaves and leaf weight directly contributes to an increase in total foliage yield. The genotypes perform better during the Rabi season, compared to the Kharif season, primarily due to the favourable environmental conditions and the drought tolerance nature of the genotypes.

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