The Effect of Fruit Waste Compost with Inorganic Fortification on Spinach Quality

Abstract: Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), locally known as Palak, is one of the most essential vegetables of the Chenopodiaceae family. It is a rich source of fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, B2 as well as magnesium, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, folate, betaine, folic acid, collagen, niacin, omega 3 fatty acids, beta carotene, lutein, carotenoids, and quercetin bioflavonoid with many other flavonoids. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different type of compost(T1 - Control, T2 -Sweet lime compost 2 Ton/ha, T3 -Sweet lime compost 4Ton/ha, T4 -Sweet lime compost with Zinc and Iron 2 Ton/ha, T5 -Sweet lime compost with Zinc and Iron 4Ton/ha, T6-Pineapple compost 2 Ton/ha, T7 -Pineapple compost 4Ton/ha, T8-Pineapple compost with Zinc and Iron 2 Ton/ha), T9 -Pineapple compost with Zinc and Iron 4Ton/ha) on spinach. The experiment was conducted at the Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, during the Rabi seasons of 2019 and 2020, respectively. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The whole field was first divided into three blocks, and each block was further divided into nine plots. An analysis of variance for all the treatments in Randomized Block Design (RBD) was carried out. For testing the hypothesis, the ANOVA table was used. Except fat content, the results of the sweet lime waste compost were good in terms of the overall proximate composition of spinach. Maximum antioxidant levels in spinach were found at fortified pineapple waste compost rates of 2 and 4 tonnes per hectare, respectively.