Comparative Growth Performance, Biomass Allocation, and Organic Carbon Accumulation in Selected Leafy Vegetables under Uniform Growth Conditions

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate and compare the growth performance, biomass distribution, and organic carbon accumulation of three widely cultivated leafy vegetables—spinach (Spinacia oleracea), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), and coriander (Coriandrum sativum)—under uniform experimental conditions. Significant interspecific variation was observed across all measured morphological and physiological parameters. Coriander recorded the greatest plant height (50.69 cm) and root length (40.57 cm), reflecting its pronounced vertical growth and deep-rooting characteristics. Spinach exhibited the highest leaf area (26.25 cm²), fresh and dry shoot biomass (31.31 g and 11.24 g plant⁻¹, respectively), and fresh and dry root biomass (5.16 g and 0.21 g plant⁻¹, respectively), indicating superior vegetative growth and biomass production. Fenugreek displayed intermediate performance for most growth traits but showed the highest root-to-shoot ratio (0.37), suggesting greater assimilate allocation toward root development. Organic carbon accumulation differed significantly among species, with spinach storing the highest amount (4.51 g plant⁻¹), followed by coriander and fenugreek. Overall, the observed differences can be attributed to inherent genetic variations influencing growth habit, biomass partitioning, and resource-use efficiency. These findings highlight species-specific adaptive strategies and provide valuable insights for crop selection, productivity enhancement, and sustainable leafy vegetable production.