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1983 - 198911990 - 19971
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Subject: Agronomy × Author: Lakshmi, S × End date: 1998 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Response of cucumber (Cucumis melo L.) to drip irrigation under varying levels of nitrogen and potash
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1997) Lakshmi, S; KAU; Sasidhar, V K
    Two field experiments and one observational trial were conducted in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1992 and 1993 to study the effect of drip irrigation and application of N and K fertilizers on the growth and yield of cucumber. In the preliminary observation trial (Experiment I a) three levels of drip irrigation, (2, 3 and 4 I plant-1 day-1) four timings of irrigation (1, 2, 3 and 4 hours) and two number of drippers per plant (1 and 2 dripper plant-1) were evaluated and based on the results of this experiment, the number of drippers per plant and duration of drip irrigation was standardised. Experiment 1 b was conducted to standardise the method of application of fertilizers in Experiment 2 and 3 for which cucumber plants raised under different levels of drip irrigation (2, 3 and 4 I plant-1 day-1). This was conducted during April 1992. The results of these experiments indicated the duration for drip irrigation as 3 hours per day and one number of dripper per plant to be the best. The spread and depth of root system of cucumber plants raised under drip irrigation pointed out that the fertilizers as a ring around the base of the plant at a distance of 20 cm will be within the root zone of the plant. The experiments 2 and 3 were laid out in the field with three levels of drip irrigation (2, 3, and 4 I plant-1 day-1), three levels of nitrogen (35, 70 and 105 kg ha-1) with three levels of potassium (25, 50 and 75 kg ha-1) with three drip irrigation controls (2, 3 and 4 I plant-1 day-1) and farmer's practice. The yield of cucumber was highest at the drip irrigation level of 31 planr-1 day-1. Irrigation at this level favourably influenced the vegetative characters, yield attributes and yield. But root dry matter was not influenced by the different drip irrigation level while the root spread and root depth were highest at the drip irrigation level of 41 plant-1 day-1. When different levels of nitrogen applied were observed, the vegetative characters yield attributes and yield were found to be favourably influenced at 70 kg N ha-1. The root spread of cucumber was highest at the highest level of N applied (l05 kg ha-1). Potassium at 50 kg ha-1 produced the highest yield due to its favourable influence on the vegetative and yield characters. There was no influence of potassium on my of the root characters studied. The soil moisture status was highest up to 30 cm depth in all drip irrigated treatments while in pot watered plots, the soil moisture was higher in the lower layers below 30 cm. The field water use efficiency was highest at the drip irrigation level of 3 I plant-1 day-1, 70 kg nitrogen ha-1 and 50 kg potassium ha-1. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake by the plants and fruits were highest at the drip irrigation level of 31 plant day I, 70 kg N ha-I and 50 kg K ha-I. The physical optium levels of drip irrigation was 31 plant -1 day -1, 93 kg N ha-1 and 65 kg K ha-1 in the first season. When another crop is repeatedly grown in the same field, the Nand K levels can be reduced to 75 kg ha-1 and 60. kg ha-1 but drip irrigation is required at the rate of 31 plant-1 day-1. This resulted in higher benefit cost ratio of 2.83 and internal rate of returns of 23%. The payback period of this project worked out to 1.13 years.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Weed control method for semi-dry dibbled crop of rice
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1983) Lakshmi, S; KAU; Madhavan Nair, K P
    An experiment was. conducted at the nice Research station of Kerala Agricultural university at Kayamkulam during, the Virippu (first crop) season of 1981-82 to find out a suitable weed control method for semi-dry dibbled crop of rice, in simple randomised block design with 7 herbicide treatments. 4 hand weeding treatments of which one was the local practice and another unweeded control. Monocot weeds were found to be better competitors than dicot weeds. Heed population was maximum during the first 40 days of dibbling. The herbicides reduced weed population and dry matter accumulation compared to hand weeded plots and increased the weed control efficiency. All the crop growth characters like plant height tiller count and LAI were Influenced favourably by the application of herbicides compared to hand weeding. Yield attributing factors like number of productive tillers/hill, length of the panicle, weight of the panicle and number of filled grains per panicle were adversely influenced by competition with weeds and control of weeds by the use of herbicides like benthiocarb 2.0 kg ai/ha and nitrofen 1.975 kg ai/ha increased the yieldattributing character® which was reflected on the grain and straw yield.