Rajan, SDeepa, SukumarKAU2020-11-172020-11-171997171214https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810155154MScAn experiment entitled "Effect of NPK and frequency of cuttings on yield and quality in Amaranthus tricolor L." was conducted at the Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during the period from October, 1995 to June, 1996 to study the effect of N PK and frequency of cuttings on yield and quality in amaranth variety Arun. The experiment was laid out in a (33 + 1)3 partially confounded factorial design with two replications. The NPK levels (N 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 ; P 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1; K 50,75 and 100 kg ha-1) and cuttings (C0 - no vegetable harvest, C1 - one veget- able harvest and C2 - two vegetable harvests) had a significant impact on various growth, yield and quality characters. The plant height and the green yield increased with increasing levels of NPK. But the extent of increase was more with respect to nitrogen application. Application of nitrogen and phosphorus brought out significant decrease in the oxalate content (from 7.3% - 4.84%) upto the highest level tried (N 150 kg ha -1 and P 100 kg ha-I). But, potassium application increased the oxalate content significantly (from 5.7% to 6.44%). A clear cut increase in nitrate accumulation (from 0.17 % to 0.74%) was noticed with increasing levels of nitrogen. Nitrate accumulation was not significantly affected by phosphorus levels. In the case of potassium also there was a significant increase in nitrate content (from 0.17 % to 0.67%) though the extent of increase was less when compared to that of nitrogen application. The seed yield increased significantly due to increasing levels of all the three nutrients and plants with no vegetable harvest recorded the highest seed yield (1073 kg ha-1). Neither the nutrients nor the cuttings had significant effect on seed germination and seedling vigour. There was a significant increase in benefit-cost ratio with increasing levels of all the three nutrients. Plants from which one cutting was taken recorded the maximum benefit-cost ratio (2.35). So the optimum number of vegetable cuttings that can be taken from a seed crop so as to get maximum net return was found to be one. After taking one vegetable harvest (30 DAP) the crop should be left for seed production.EnglishThesis