Effect of Fertigation, Splitting and Mulching on Different Fruit Crops

Fertigation, splitting and mulching are an essential tools in precision farming and that effectively affected in physiological, growth attributes, yield and quality parameters as well as nutrients content in leaves. Joint use of fertigation and mulch resulted in comparable growth and yield as unmulched condition and saved in fertilizers and irrigation water. Mulches maintain the soil temperature, retard the loss of soil moisture, suppress of wood growth, conservation of soil from erosion, reduction of soil salinity, improvement of soil structures, improve water infiltration rate by creating hindrance in flow of water, control of pest and diseases and enhance microbial activity in the field. The total dry matter (TDM) production and leaf area index were significantly higher in drip irrigation. Water-soluble fertilizer (WSF) fertigation recorded significantly higher total dry matter and LAI over drip irrigation. Chlorophyll concentration was significantly higher in fertigation treatments over soil applied treatments. The fruit yield in fruit crop was higher in drip irrigation over furrow irrigation. Fertigation with 100 per cent WSF increased the fruit yield significantly over furrow-irrigated control and drip irrigation. Fertigation resulted in lesser leaching of NO₃-N and K to deeper layer of soil. Subsurface drip fertigation caused higher assimilable P in deeper layer.