Yield and quality of palak (Beta vulgaris L. var. bengalensis) as influenced by agronomic management practices under protected condition

The field experiment to assess leaf yield and quality in palak (Beta vulgaris L. var. bengalensis) under varying agronomic management practices of spacing, nutrient management and leaf cuttings was conducted in 2 × 2 × 3 factorial design with three replications at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University during 2019-2020. The spacing of 20 cm x 10 cm (50 plants per m²) registered superior leaf yield per 10 m². Nutrient management with chemical fertilizers and six cuttings recorded higher yields. The interaction effects were also significantly the highest in the combination of these levels (17.76 kg). Quality analysis revealed vitamin A and C to be higher under organic nutrition to be comparable with under inorganic nutrition. Leaves of the third cutting were higher in quality compared to that in the final harvests. Hence in the cultivation of palak, a planting geometry at 20 cm × 10 cm spacing, NPK dose of 80 :40:80 kg ha⁻¹ with chemical/ organic fertilizers can be recommended and third harvest leaves were supreme in quality parameters assessed.