Fertigation studies in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at IIHR, Bangalore in order to study the response of pomegranate to irrigation systems, irrigation levels, and nitrogen and potassium fertilization. Drip system of irrigation gave higher fruit yield of 14.97 and 12.38 t/ha with N and K fertilization experiments, compared to basic system (12.38 and 9.38 t/ha). The drip system was superior to basin system with respect to fruit growth, yield attributes and quality. Irrespective of the irrigation systems scheduling irrigation at 0.8 CPE was found to be optimum by registering significantly higher fruit growth, yield and quality of fruits. Irrespective of the irrigation systems and levels, application at 500 kg/ha through drip systems was optimum to get higher fruit yield (19.57 t/ha) with good quality compared to lower level of nitrogen through drip or same level of soil application through basin irrigation (15.60 t/ha). Similarly, potassium fertigation at 300 kg/ha gave higher fruit yield of 16.55 t/ha compare to soil application of potassium at 300 kg/ha under basin irrigation (13.35 t/ha). However, overall interaction between irrigation systems, irrigation levels, nitrogen and potassium levels were absent. Drip irrigation systems maintained constantly higher soil moisture compared to basin system. Drip irrigation at 0.6 and 0.8 CPE maintained soil moisture nearer to field capacity throughout the irrigation cycle, but not under basin system with same irrigation levels of irrigation were 300,600,900 and 1200 mm, under drip and basin irrigation.