STUDIES ON STANDARDIZATION OF IRRIGATION AND FERTILIZER LEVELS ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF PAPAYA (cv. RED LADY) UNDER PROTECTED AND OPEN FIELD CONDITIONS
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Date
2022-12-21
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
Abstract
Studies on growth, yield and quality of Papaya (Carica papaya L.) cv. Red Lady as influenced by different irrigation and fertilizer levels were conducted separately under open field and protected conditions at PFDC (Precision Farming Development Center), Department of Horticulture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru during 2018-19 to 2019-20. Under open field conditions, drip irrigation @ 60%,90% and 120% E pan (mm/day) and 125 percent recommended dose of fertilizers (250:250:500 g NPK/ha/plant/annum) applied in 24 split dose per year at 15 days interval registered significantly the highest vegetative parameters like plant height (255.62 cm), stem girth (58.47 cm) and total leaf area (26.99 m2). With respect to yield parameters, plants showed significantly the highest fruit yield per plant (39.64 kg) and fruit yield per hectare (122.32 t/ha) at an irrigation level of 50%,80% and 100% E pan (mm/day) + 125 per cent RDF. Under protected conditions, the plants registered significantly the highest vegetative parameters of plant height (388.51 cm), stem girth (74.91 cm) and total leaf area (41.58 m2) at an irrigation level of 60%,90% and 120% E pan (mm/day) combined with 150 per cent RDF, while the highest yield parameters like fruit yield per plant (77.70 kg) and fruit yield per hectare (239.77 t/ha) were recorded at an irrigation level of 50%,80% and 100% E pan (mm/day) + 125 per cent RDF. The highest TSS (13.83 0 Brix and 12.15 0 Brix) and B carotene content (5.48 mg/100 g and 4.15 mg/100g) were noticed in the fruits of papaya plants irrigated @ 40%, 60% and 80% E pan combined with 125 per cent RDF under open field and protected condition, respectively. The appearance of PRSV (Papaya Ring Spot Virus) was noticed after one year of growth and development under protected conditions, while the symptoms and damages were early, starting from 3 months stage of growth and development itself under open field conditions. As high as 108.30 per cent more yield and good marketable appearance of fruits produced under protected conditions fetched a cost to benefit ratio of 1:3.03 with the highest net return of Rs. 28.89 lakhs per hectare, as against Rs.10.55 lakhs net returns per hectare with a cost to benefit ratio of 1:2.35 under open field conditions.