Effect of drip irrigation and mulching on plant growth, flowering and fruiting in litchi cv. Rose Scented
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Date
2021-09
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
The present study entitled “Effect of drip irrigation and mulching on plant growth, flowering and fruiting in litchi cv. Rose Scented” was carried at Horticultural Research Centre, Patharchatta, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar during the year 2021. The experiment was conducted on 21 years trees of litchi cv. Rose Scented planted at a spacing of 5m × 5m. The trial was laid out in Randomized Block Design with 3 replications and each replication comprised of two trees. The treatments consisted of four drip irrigation (DI) levels i.e., 50% ER (Evaporation Replenishment), 75% ER, 100% ER, 125% ER either with or without mulch. Flood irrigation provided in the basin of the trees was taken as control. The investigation revealed that per cent increment in all the plant growth characters like tree height, stem girth, trunk cross-sectional area, canopy spread, canopy area and canopy volume was significantly influenced with different treatments. The study also showed significant influence of drip irrigation and mulching on percentage of fruit drop, retention and cracking. Maximum number of fruits (1386.33) and yield (34.64 kg/tree and 13.86 t/ha) were witnessed under the treatment DI3M1 (100% ER with black polythene mulch) and was at par with or closely followed by DI2M1 (75% ER with black polythene mulch). In terms of fruit quality, the treatment DI2M1 recorded highest contents of total soluble solids (19.92B), ascorbic acid (24.94 mg/100g) along with lowest acidity (0.41%) while the treatment DI3M1 was found to be superior with respect to maximum fruit length (35.23 mm), breadth (32.21 mm), weight (24.98 g), volume (23.78 ml), reducing sugars (9.70 %) and total sugars (14.36%). Based on overall performance, it can be concluded that under tarai regions of Uttarakhand, drip irrigation at 75% ER along with black polythene mulch gives better quality fruits along with higher yield.