Micro irrigation and polythene mulching in oriental pickling melon (cucumis melo var.conomon(L.) makino)
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Date
2009
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College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara
Abstract
A field experiment on micro irrigation and polythene mulching in oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo var. conomon (L.) Makino) was conducted during the summer season of December 2004 to March 2005 in the summer rice fallows of Agricultural Research Station, Mannuthy, Thrissur. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The treatments consisted of combinations of five irrigation methods (drip, microtube, bubbler, wick and basin irrigations) and three mulch treatments (control, black LDPE mulching in the basin and in the entire interspace). The variety used in the study was Mudicode. The study revealed that mulching with black LDPE enhanced soil moisture retention in soil, growth, yield, water use efficiency and economic parameters than control. Mulching in the entire interspace with black LDPE was superior to basin mulching alone. Number of branches per vine, length of vines, number of leaves per vine, leaf area and dry matter production at harvest were highest in full mulching. Similarly, full mulching with black LDPE recorded the highest male and female flowers per plant and female to male flower ratio. In the setting percentage, basin mulching recorded 10 per cent more setting over control, while full mulching increased it by five per cent. Mulch had no significant influence on fruit characteristics like mean fruit weight, girth and volume. Full mulching enhanced number of fruits per plant by 27 per cent and basin mulching by 20.5 per cent over control. While full mulching increased fruit yield per hectare by 28 per cent over control, basin mulching increased it over control by 20 percent. Full mulching checks weed growth by 100 percent and enhanced leaf contents of N and K. Due to checking of evaporation from soil, soil moisture content was higher by 8.3 to 16.7 per cent laterally to a distance of 60 cm from the centre of the pit and higher by 10.6 to 14.2 per cent depth wise to a depth of 60 cm over control. Mean seasonal consumptive use and crop coefficient values were the least in full mulched plots. Full mulching and basin mulching increased field water use efficiency by 28.0 and 20.0 and crop water use efficiency by 40.8 and 30.8 per cent, respectively over control. Economic analysis revealed that net profit increased by Rs. 51,838 (33.4 per cent) and Rs. 40,787 (26.3 per cent) by full mulching and basin mulching, respectively over control. Among the irrigation methods, oriental pickling melon responded best to wick method. Though basin irrigation promoted better vegetative characters, its favourable influence on yield characters were not visible. Wick irrigation recorded higher fruit setting percentage than other methods. Though basin irrigation recorded 12.6 to 33.8 per cent more fruits per plant than other methods, average fruit weight was significantly the lowest in basin method. Wick irrigation recorded the highest mean fruit weight of 1236 g while basin irrigation recorded the lowest weight of 963.5 g. Highest fruit yield was recorded in wick irrigation (46.34 t ha-1) followed by microtube method (42.75 t ha-1) and basin irrigation (40.97 t ha-1). Though basin irrigation retained higher moisture in soil, radially as well depth wise compared to other methods it was not reflected in fruit yield. Though basin irrigation recorded the lowest mean seasonal consumptive use, it recorded the lowest FWUE. Wick irrigation recorded the highest net return (Rs. 2,13,306 ha-1) and net income per rupee invested (3.29). The combination of mulching with black LDPE and irrigation methods increased fruit yield, water use efficiency, net profit and net return per rupee invested over the individual effects of irrigation. Best fruit yield and net profit were obtained when wick irrigation was combined with mulching with entire interspace with black LDPE.
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