EFFECT OF VARIETIES AND SPACING ON THE GROWTH AND LEAF YIELD OF MORINGA (Moringa oleifera Lam)

A series of experiments were performed to investigate varieties and spacing effects on the growth, leaf yield and quality of Moringa Oleifera L. at Trang Bom and Cam My district of Dong Nai province. The spacing (5 x 20 cm, 5 x 15 cm, 5 x 10 cm) and the five varieties (TL, BT, NT, DN, BR) were studied in a completely randomized split plot design with three blocks. The variety of Ninh Thuan was found to be the richest in nutrients and flavonoid (Ca:2839 mgkg-1; Fe: 24.1 mgkg-1; K: 4314 mgkg-1; Protein: 7.6%; vitamin A: 7197.1 IU kg-1; vitamin C: 1479.2 mgkg-1; flavonoid: 10.5%), produced the highest fresh matter yield, 171.7 and 198.7 Mg ha-1, and fresh leaf yield, 39.04 and 41.64 Mg ha-1, at Trang Bom and Cam My district, respectively. The close spacing (5 x 10 cm) gave the highest leaf yields, 33.92 and 35.48 Mg ha-1 respectively. But, the combination of variety Ninh Thuan and wide spacing have the highest profit, 418 million VN dong per ha after five cutting times. The studies showed that the optimum variety of Moringa and spacing in Dong Nai province were Ninh Thuan and 5 x 20 cm (1 millon plants per hectare).