Performance of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) under Spacing and Nutrient Management Practices in Cauvery Command Area

An investigation was carried out at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Vishweshwaraiah Canal Farm, Mandya, Karnataka, spanning from September to December in both 2020 and 2021. The purpose was to analyze how varying spacing and nutrient management practices affect the yield and growth rate of chia plants. The study involved two different spacings (S) and six levels of organic nutrients (N). Employing a 2 × 6 × 3 factorial experiment design within a randomized complete block framework with three replications, the experiment was conducted over a two-year period. The spacing of 60 cm × 15 cm (S2) resulted in notably higher absolute growth rates (1.00 and 1.87 g/day, respectively at 30 – 60 and 60 – 90 DAS) and biomass duration (221.84, 893.45 and 2182.73 days, respectively at 0 – 30, 30 – 60 and 60 – 90 DAS). Conversely, for relative growth rate (1.67 and 1.19 g/g/day × 10-2, respectively at 30 – 60 DAS and 60 – 90 DAS) and leaf area ratio (2180.90, 1967.19 and 1522.35 cm2/g × 10-2, respectively at 30, 60 and 90 DAS), higher values were observed with 45 cm × 15 cm spacing (S1). Among the various organic nutrient levels, the highest absolute growth rate (1.09 and 2.01 g/day, respectively at 30 – 60 and 60 – 90 DAS) and biomass duration (259.18, 1009.48 and 2403.23 days, respectively at 0 – 30, 30 – 60 and 60 – 90 DAS) were recorded with N6, while greater relative growth rate (1.86 and 1.20 g/g/day × 10-2, respectively at 30 – 60 DAS and 60 – 90 DAS) and leaf area ratio (2616.15, 2206.54 and 1723.31 cm2/g × 10-2, respectively at 30, 60 and 90 DAS) were found with N1. The interaction between spacing and organic nutrient levels did not yield any significant differences with respect to absolute growth rate, biomass duration, relative growth rate and leaf area ratio.