CROP HUSBANDRY-VEGETABLE AMARANTH CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN KERALA

AMARANTH (Amaranthus spp.)

Amaranth is the most popular leafy vegetable of Kerala. It can be grown throughout the year. Avoid sowing or planting of red leaved varieties during periods of heavy rain.

Varieties

Red: Kannara Local, Arun
Green: Co-1, Co-2, Co-3 and Mohini
Note: Kannara Local is a season bound variety, which comes to flowering in November-December.
Seed rate: 1.5 to 2.0 kg/ha

Preparation of land

Prepare the land by ploughing or digging followed by levelling. Then shallow trenches of width 30-35 cm are made 30 cm apart. Well rotten FYM is mixed with soil in the trenches. Transplant 20-30 day old seedlings in the shallow trenches at a distance of 20 cm in two rows. During rainy season planting shall be done on raised beds.

Manuring

Apply 50 tonnes of FYM per ha as basal dose before planting. After preparing trenches, apply N:P2O5:K2O @ 50:50:50 kg/ha. Another 50 kg of N can be applied at regular intervals as topdressing. Spraying 1% urea immediately after each harvest will increase the yield.

Plant protection

As far as possible, avoid use of insecticides or fungicides. In severe cases of leaf webber attack, spray malathion 0.1% or dust malathion 10% DP.