Fertilizer guide · Bangladesh

Amaranth (Danta shak): how much fertilizer per bigha?

Urea, TSP and MOP doses by soil fertility, from BARC's Fertilizer Recommendation Guide 2024.

Short answer

For Amaranth (Danta shak) on soil of medium fertility, BARC's Fertilizer Recommendation Guide 2024 gives about 8.9 kg of urea, 7.3 kg of TSP and 5 kg of MOP (potash) per bigha, for a yield goal of about 12,140 kg per acre (100 maund per bigha). On low-fertility soil it is about 15 kg of urea, 12 kg of TSP and 8.2 kg of MOP per bigha. Rich soil (optimum) needs less: about 2.9 kg of urea, 2.3 kg of TSP and 1.6 kg of MOP.

This crop has 2 variety groups in the guide. The figures above are for Group 1 (the highest yield goal); the tables below cover every group.

Danta shak. Two tables, for the two kinds the guide covers.

Dose by soil level

Pick the row that matches your soil-test report. No soil test? Use the Medium row. Each cell is the range the guide gives for that level: the dose moves up or down inside it as your soil-test value does.

Group 1 of 2 · yield goal about 12,140 kg per acre

Danta shak (BARI Danta-1, 2 and 3).

Varieties in this group: BARI Danta-1, BARI Danta-2, BARI Danta-3.

kg per bigha (33 decimal)
Soil levelUreaTSPMOP (potash)
Optimum0–5.80–4.70–3.2
Medium6.1–125.3–9.33.5–6.4
Low12–1710–146.7–9.7
Very low18–2315–199.9–13
kg per acre
Soil levelUreaTSPMOP (potash)
Optimum0–180–140–9.8
Medium18–3516–2811–20
Low36–5330–4220–29
Very low54–7044–5630–39

Urea (nitrogen) goes on in 3 turns, as the guide advises: 33% + 33% + 33%.

Source: BARC, Fertilizer Recommendation Guide 2024, page 97.

Group 2 of 2 · yield goal about 12,140 kg per acre

Green danta shak (BARI Sabuj Dantasak-1).

Varieties in this group: BARI Sabuj Dantasak-1.

kg per bigha (33 decimal)
Soil levelUreaTSPMOP (potash)
Optimum0–5.80–4.70–3.2
Medium6.1–125.3–9.33.5–6.4
Low12–1710–146.7–9.7
Very low18–2315–199.9–13
kg per acre
Soil levelUreaTSPMOP (potash)
Optimum0–180–140–9.8
Medium18–3516–2811–20
Low36–5330–4220–29
Very low54–7044–5630–39

Urea (nitrogen) goes on in 2 turns, as the guide advises: 50% + 50%.

Source: BARC, Fertilizer Recommendation Guide 2024, page 97.

For one decimal (shatak), divide the per-bigha figure by 33. For one katha, divide it by 20.

Using DAP instead of TSP

DAP has the same 46% phosphate as TSP, so use the TSP figure as the DAP figure. DAP also carries 18% nitrogen (about 0.4 kg of urea saved per kg of DAP). The guide does not subtract it and neither do these tables, but you can take it off the urea if you want to.

How these numbers are worked out

BARC's guide gives kg of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) per hectare for each soil level. We convert P to P₂O₅ (× 2.29) and K to K₂O (× 1.21), then divide by what is in the bag: urea 46% N, TSP 46% P₂O₅, MOP 60% K₂O. One bigha is taken as 1,337.8 m² (about 33 decimal) and one acre as 100 decimal.

These are the guide's general doses, not a prescription for your field. The right dose depends on your soil test and your agro-ecological zone, and the guide covers soil up to the optimum level. Check with your local Department of Agricultural Extension officer.

Calculate for your own field

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Fertilizer calculator questions

How much urea does Amaranth (Danta shak) need per bigha?

On soil of medium fertility, about 8.9 kg of urea per bigha (range 6.1–12 kg), according to BARC's Fertilizer Recommendation Guide 2024. Poorer soil needs more urea and richer soil less.

How much TSP and MOP does Amaranth (Danta shak) need per bigha?

On soil of medium fertility, about 7.3 kg of TSP (range 5.3–9.3 kg) and 5 kg of MOP (range 3.5–6.4 kg) per bigha, according to BARC's Fertilizer Recommendation Guide 2024.

Is this dose right for my field?

It is a good starting point, not a prescription. The dose depends on your soil-test result, the variety group and your area. Use the soil level from your soil-test report, and check with your local agriculture officer.

Fertilizer doses for other crops