Effect of drip irrigation and mulching on plant growth, leaf nutrients status, fruit yield and quality of litchi
Loading...
Date
2019-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
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, leaf nutrients status, fruit yield and quality of litchi” was carried at Horticulture Research Centre, Patharchatta, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar during the year 2017-18. The experiment was conducted on 17 years trees of litchi cv. Rose Scented planted at a spacing of 5m × 5m.The trial was laid out inRandomized Block Design with four replications and each replicationcomprised of two trees. The treatments consisted of four irrigation levels i.e., 50% ER, 75% ER, 100% ER, 125% ER either with or without mulch. Surface irrigation provided in the basin of the trees was taken as control.
The investigation revealed that there was no significant effect of drip irrigation and mulch treatments on plant growth characters,however, per cent increment in all the plant growth characters liketree height, tree girth, canopy spread, canopy area and canopy volume was significant. Similarly, fruiting characters, yield and quality attributes were also significantly affected. The study also showed significant influence of drip irrigation and mulching on leaf nutrients content, percentage of fruit drop, retention,cracking and fruit burn. Maximum number of fruits and yield were witnessed under the treatment T8 (100% ER with mulch) and was at par with T7 (75% ER with mulch). In terms of fruit quality, the treatment T7 recorded highest contents of TSS, ascorbic acid along with lowest acidity while the treatment T8was found to be superior with respect to maximum fruit size, weight, volume, edible portion (per cent), reducing sugars and total sugars. It was closely followed by the treatment T7, which also registered maximum benefit cost ratio (3.98) in comparison to T8 which has benefit cost ratio of 3.33.
Based on overall performance, it can be concluded that undertarai regions of Uttarakhand, drip irrigation at 75% ER along with poly mulch gives better quality fruits along with higher yield and also provides higher economic returns. Further, long terms trials are required to strengthen the above findings. Overall farmer’ scan be advised to use drip irrigation at 75% ER along with bicolourpolymulch of 100 micron for obtaining higher yield and increased water use efficiency.
Description
Keywords
null