Temperate Vegetables

BEET LEAF SPINACH

SPINACH

There are two types of seeds:

1. Smooth round seeded types (considered as summer type)
2. Irregularly prickly shape (considered as winter type)

CULTIVARS AND HYBRIDS
Cultivars may be either smooth seeded or prickly seeded and smooth leaved or Savoy leaved.
Cultivars may be classified as:

A. Leaves heavily savoyed

i) Plants late seeding

a) Leaves blue-green

b.) Leaves dark green

ii) Plants not late seeding

a) Plants very late seeding
b) Plants medium early seeding

B. Leaves not savoyed (or slightly savoyed in cool weather)

i) Plants early seeding

a) Seeds prickly
b) Seeds not prickly

ii) Plants not early seeding

a) Seeds prickly
b) Seeds not prickly

I. Leaves blue green
II. Leaves medium green

Cultivars may be classified into 3 groups as:

A. Round-seeded

1. Smooth-leaved (or slightly savoyed in cool weather)

i) Early bolting or not long-standing
ii) Slow bolting or long-standing

2. Savoy-leaved

i) Early bolting or not long-standing

(a) Mosaic resistant
(b) Not mosaic resistant

ii) Slow bolting or long-standing

B. Prickly seeded

1. Smooth-leaved (or slightly savoyed in cool weather)

i) Early bolting or not long-standing

(a) Mosaic resistant
(b) Not mosaic resistant

ii) Slow bolting or long-standing

2. Savoy-leaved

i) Early bolting or not long-standing

(a) Mosaic resistant
(b) Not mosaic resistant

ii) Slow bolting or long-standing

Cultivars may be classified into 3 groups on the basis of leaf type as:
i) Savoy
ii) Semi-savoy
iii) Smooth

• Prickly seeded cultivars are suitable for winter autumn sowing in hills while smooth leaved are suited for spring summer cultivation in hills and autumn sowing in plains.
• Round leaved cultivars are seeded in hills in summers and autumn sowing in plains.
• Round seeded varieties perform well in the plains whereas, prickly seeded in hills.

Spinach varieties commonly grown in India are:
Virginia Savoy

• Savoy type and prickly seeded having blistered large dark green leaves with round tip.
• Plants are upright and vigorous in growth and average green yield is 400q/ha

Long Standing

• Dark green thick leaves triangular in shape with a pointed apex, slow in growth, average yield 100-125 q/ha