Performance of summer okra [Abelmoschus esculentus L.] under different soil mositure regime and plastic mulches
Loading...
Files
Date
2020-09-09
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted with summer okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) during the two succeeding years i.e. summer 2017 and summer 2018, at research farm of AICRP on Irrigation Water Management, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani to investigate the effect of irrigation levels and different plastic mulches on soil moisture, soil temperature, physiochemical properties of soil, growth and yield components of okra, water use efficiency and its economics.The experiment was laid out in split plot design, in which three irrigation levels were assigned to main plots based on daily evapotranspiration (ETc), i.e. I1(0.8ETc), I2(1.0ETc), I3(1.2ETc) and three mulches M1 - Transparent plastic mulch (TPM), M2 - Black plastic mulch (BPM), M3 - Silver-black plastic mulch (SBPM) and M4 - Control (without mulch) to sub plots and were replicated thrice.
The average soil moisture was significantly highest under irrigation level of 1.2 ETc as compared to irrigation level 1.0 ETc and 0.8 ETc. Among different plastic mulches, significantly highest average soil moisture was observed in soil profile (0.0 to 7.5 cm) under silver-black plastic mulch (31.06 %) as compared to rest of mulches.
Mean daily soil temperature was recorded significantly higher under irrigation level 0.8 ETc (31.25, 31.11 and 31.14 0C) at soil depth 5, 10 and 15 cm respectively and in case of plastic mulches, the highest daily pooled mean soil temperature (33.05, 33.06 and 33.01 0C) were recorded under transparent plastic mulch at soil depths 5, 10 and 15 cm respectively, where as the lowest daily mean soil temperature at corresponding depths (29.33, 29.15 and 28.87 0C) were observed under control (without mulch).
Highest weed density (152.33 No./m2) and total weed biomass (129.19 g/m2), was observed in transparent plastic mulch, whereas total absence of weeds were observed in black plastic mulch. Application of irrigation level 1.0 ETc and silver-black plastic mulch recorded lowest bulk density (1.31g/cc), highest total porosity (47.69%) and infiltration rate (5.27 mm/hr.) over all other treatments. Treatment combination of silver-black mulch and irrigation level 1.0 ETc recorded highest actinomycetes, bacterial and fungal population than all other treatment combinations. The emergence count was significantly highest under transparent plastic mulch over control, followed by silver-black plastic mulch and black plastic mulch respectively.
The total mean fruit yield increased, by 95.27 per cent, 74.01 per cent and 51.37 per cent respectively in the silver-black, black and transparent plastic mulches than the control (without mulch) and among irrigation level treatments, total mean fruit yield increased, by 18.33 per cent and 10.16 per cent respectively in the irrigation level I2 (1.0 ETc) and I3 (1.2 ETc) than irrigation level I1 (0.8 ETc).
Irrigation level treatment at 1.0 ETc recorded highest gross monetary returns (Rs. 230844/ha) and net monetary returns (Rs.116069/ha) than rest of irrigation level treatments and among plastic mulches, silver-black plastic mulch recorded significantly highest gross monetary returns (Rs. 268822/ha) and net monetary returns (Rs. 142429/ha) as compared to rest of the mulches and control treatment. The benefit-cost ratio was significantly highest (1.99) for 1.0 ETc irrigation level than rest of irrigation level treatments. Similarly among different plastic mulches, silver-black plastic mulch recorded significantly highest benefit-cost ratio (2.13) than other plastic mulches and control treatment.
Irrigation level treatment 0.8 ETc recorded significantly highest water use efficiency of 37.82 kg/ha/mm than other irrigation levels and among different plastic mulch treatment, silver-black plastic mulch recorded significantly highest mean water use efficiency of 42.90 kg/ha/mm than rest of plastic mulches and control treatment.
The relationship between fruit yield of okra and average soil moisture content was significant positive correlation (y=23.431x-484.73; R2 = 0.942). The multiple regression model was developed stepwise for predicting the fruit yield of okra and found as, Y = -134.094+4.317*Root length +1.614*Plant height, R2=0.93.