Impact of irrigation and fertigation alongwith mulching on fruit yield, water use efficiency, nutrient use efficiency and economy of mango

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on sandy loam soils of semi-arid regions of the southern part of the Telangana to assess the potential of drip irrigation and fertigation alongwith mulch on fruit yield; recourses use efficiency as well as the economy of mango cv. Banganpalli. Treatments of the present study were comprised of four levels of irrigation [I - control (farmer practice of irrigation 1.2 m3 at 10 days intervals); I - 1 2 75%, I - 100% and I - 125% ETc at daily intervals) and fertilization [F - farmer practice of 3 4 1 application of 100% (500 g) N&K through soil (fruits at marble size), F - 50% (250 g), 2 F - 50% (375 g) and F - 50% (500 g) N&K were applied through fertigation in three 3 4 equal split doses at 15 days intervels after fruit set (from February 15th to end of March), alongwith mulching (silver polyethylene mulch of 100 micron thickness were used). The statistical design adopted was complete randomized block design (RCBD) in factorial with three replications. The application of 125% ETc + 75% N&K through fertigation resulted signiicantly 60% higher fruit yield, increased WUE (8.62 kg m-3) and PFP (227 kg kg-1) alongwith 12.5% fertilizers saving achived which had resulted to the increased economy (BCR 3.77) as compared to control. Further, underwater shortage condition application of 75% ETc + 100% N&K through fertigation alongwith mulching had resulted in 55% higher fruit yield, WUE (13.33 kg m-3), PFP (161 kg kg-1) and BCR (3.41) as compared to control (BCR 1.88).