Integrated Use of Water and Nutrients through Drip Irrigation in Nagpur Mandarin

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2006-2008 to optimize the combined use of irrigation and fertilizers through drip irrigation for bearing Nagpur mandarin (Citrus reticulate Blanco) plants at Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. The irrigation at 50% (I1), 75% (I2), and 100% (I3) of daily class-A pan evaporation rate (Ep) along with 25% (F1), 50% (F2) and 75% (F3) of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF: 600 g N + 100 g P2O5 + 200 g K2O) were applied through drip emitters to 12 year old mandarin plants. For comparison, band placement of fertilizer (BPF) at 100% RDF under basin irrigation (BI) was taken as control. All the irrigation and fertilizer treatments (except I1F1) imposed through drip system produced higher plant growth and fruit yield, with better quality fruits over BI with BPF. The highest fruit yield (16.03 t.ha?¹) with superior quality fruits (41.8% juice content, 10.2 degree Brix TSS and 0.82% acidity) was recorded under I2F3. Leaf nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn) analysis indicated that I2F3 registered significantly higher leaf-N (2.15%) and K (1.87%), whereas I3F3 produced higher P (0.11%) and Fe (113.99 ppm) as compared with BI with BPF (1.98% N, 0.081% P, 1.64% K, and 93.52 ppm Fe). The study demonstrated that the application of optimum quantity of water and fertilizers (I2F3) through drip irrigation saved 50% and 25% of water and fertilizers, respectively, besides producing 60% higher fruit yield with better quality fruits over BI with BPF.