Effect of lac mud on fresh leaf yield of spinach

To meet the challenges of our current and future food demand without deteriorating the environmental quality coupled with utilization of industrial waste as manure is the need of the hour. Lac mud is the waste product of lac processing industries which contained sizeable quantity of macro and micro nutrients. An experiment was conducted at the research farm of ICAR- Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Ranchi, India for two consecutive years to evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of lac mud on fresh leaf yield of spinach. Experimental result revealed that application of 25% N through lac mud + 25% N through vermicompost + 50% N through inorganic source, being at par with 50% N through lac mud + 50% N through inorganic source and 12.5% N through lac mud + 12.5% N through vermicompost + 75% N through inorganic source, proved superiority over all other treatments in recording fresh leaf yield of spinach. Highest 23.6% increase in fresh leaf yield of spinach under fertilization system of 25% N through lac mud + 25% N through vermicompost + 50% N through inorganic source was recorded over 100% N through inorganic source, followed by 20.2% increase under 50% N through lac mud + 50% N through inorganic source and 14.5% increase under 12.5% N through lac mud + 12.5% N through vermicompost + 75% N through inorganic source. Hence, it may be utilized as a substitute of other organic manure for higher fresh leaf yield of spinach.