Response of globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa L.) to pinching and biofertilizer application

The present study on Response of Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa L.) to pinching and biofertilizer application was conducted at SKUAST-K, Shalimar Campus, J&K during the year 2018. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with three replications. Pinching as main plot treatment comprising two levels P0 (No pinching) and P1 (Pinching) along with biofertlizers as sub-plot treatment comprising of eight different levels B0 (No biofertilizer), B1 (Azotobacter), B2 (Phosphate solubilising bacteria), B3 (Potassium solubilising bacteria), B4 (Azotobacter + PSB), B5 (Azotobacter + KSB), B6 (PSB + KSB) and B7 (Azotobacter + PSB + KSB) with a total of 16 treatment combinations. The results of the study revealed that P1 (Pinching) recorded maximum plant spread (50.36 cm), number of leaves plant-1 (309.49), LAI (6.83), primary and secondary branches plant-1 (3.58 and 11.08 respectively), stem diameter (1.93 cm), number of flowers plant-1 (116.14), whereas maximum plant height (68.23 cm) at harvest, individual leaf area (27.08 cm2), minimum days taken to flower bud appearance and 50% flowering (29.62 and 43.21 days), respectively was recorded under P0 (No Pinching). Among different biofertilizers B7 (Azotobacter + PSB + KSB) recorded maximum plant height (65.04 cm) at harvest, plant spread (52.19 cm), number of leaves plant-1(304.81), individual leaf area (28.44 cm2), LAI (7.77), primary and secondary branches plant-1 (3.42 and 11.72), stem diameter (1.93 cm), minimum days taken to flower bud appearance and 50% flowering (32.54 and 46.31 days) and number of flowers plant-1 (122.21). Interaction effect of pinching and biofertilizers was found beneficial in improving vegetative characters and flower yield.