Efficacy of Water Hyacinth as Growing Media for Amaranthus in Open Water Culture, Hydroponics and Land Cultivation in Kuttanad Ecosystem

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in farmer’s field in north Kuttanad during the kharif season during June-July 2023 and repeated consecutively during August-September 2023 to evaluate the efficacy of open water culture with respect to yield and growth attributes of amaranthus cultivation against deep water culture hydroponics with and without water hyacinth as medium. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Design (CRD), comprising six treatments with four replications. The treatments were T1: Open water culture without medium, T2: Open water culture with medium, T3: Hydroponics without medium, T4: Hydroponics with medium, T5: Land cultivation with a bed of water hyacinth alone as medium and T6: Control: soil culture-KAU-POP recommended dose of nutrients. The data revealed significant differences in plant height, number of leaves, leaf length and width, leaf area index, stem girth, root length and yield. Maximum plant height was recorded in T6 (Control- soil culture-Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) -POP recommended dose of nutrients) followed by T5 (Land cultivation with a bed of water hyacinth alone as medium). Highest leaf area index, stem girth and root length were in T6, but was on par with T5. The yield of the total harvest was significantly higher in T6, but was on par with T5, which proves the efficacy of water hyacinth as a growing medium for amaranthus cultivation. The lowest yield and growth attributes were recorded by T1 (Open water culture without medium) and T3 (Hydroponics without medium).