Effect of Organics on Yield and Yield Components of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.)

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a new emerging crop as functional food. Its seeds are richest source of omega-3, antioxidant, calcium and are known to prevent heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Owing to its nutraceutical and therapeutical values, the studies on its organic production are very essential under Indian condition. Therefore, an experiment to determine the influence of organic fertilization on growth and yield of chia was done at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh during 2018-19 and 2019-20. The recommended fertilizers dose (RDF) 57.5:40:24 NPK kg ha-1 with FYM 10 t ha-1 was compared with fourteen treatment combinations of organic manures viz., vermicompost (V), bio gas spent slurry (BSS) and Neem cake (Nc) at 25% or 50%N equivalent dose of RDF and organic supplements namely, microbial consortia (M), Jeevamrita (J) and humic acid (H).

The maximum plant height, number of branches per plant, number and weight of spikes per plant, spike weight, dry matter, seed yield per plant and seed yield per hectare were higher under RDF which was at par with FYM50V25BSS25MJH, RDFM, RDFJ. During first year, RDF recorded the higher yield (835.67 kg ha-1) followed by RDFMJH (680.93 kg ha-1), RDFJ (665.84 kg ha-1), FYM50V25BSS25H (616.19 kg ha-1) and FYM50V25BSS25 (603.57 kg ha-1). During first year, chia resulted in lower yield in comparison to second year in all the treatments. The reproductive phase, blooming to seed filling was found sensitive to frost. During second year RDFMJH gave higher yield (1201.65 kg ha-1) and was at par to FYM50V25BSS25M (1186.28 kg ha-1), FYM50V25BSS25J (1165.71 kg ha-1) and RDF (1165.43 kg ha-1). Therefore, the RDF can be substituted by organic manures combination viz. FYM 10.7 t + vermicompost 1.07 t + biogas spent slurry 1.68 t ha-1 along with microbial consortia or with Jeevamrita.