ISHS Acta Horticulturae 785: International Symposium on Grape Production and Processing
EFFECT OF FERTILIZER APPLICATION THROUGH IRRIGATION WATER ON THOMPSON SEEDLESS GRAPE YIELD AND FERTILIZER USE EFFICIENCY |
| Authors: | Jagdev Sharma, A.K. Upadhyay, S.D. Shikhamany, R.K. Singh |
| Keywords: | fertigation, drip irrigation, grapes, India |
| Abstract:
Fertigation is being followed in Maharashtra but the fertigation schedules followed by the growers are arbitrary due to lack of availability of scientifically worked out fertigation schedules. None of the aspects related to fertigation in grapes have been investigated under Indian conditions particularly for grafted vines. The study was aimed at: i) to compare the efficiency of fertilizers applied through irrigation water (fertigation) with conventional method (direct soil application), ii) to work out the NPK doses required for vines grafted on Dog Ridge rootstock using fertigation and iii) to standardizing the fertigation schedule by applying different doses of NPK at different vine growth stages. The experiment was conducted for the four cropping seasons under double pruning system in drip irrigated vines during the years 2000–2004. The vines received saline irrigation (EC = 1.70–1.80 dS/m). Three different fertigation schedules (S-I, S-II and S-III) and three rates (80, 60 and 40% of the recommended dose for direct soil application method) of NPK were tested along with the conventional method of fertilizer application (direct soil application method). Application of the NPK fertilizers through irrigation at the rate of 40% produced the yield equivalent to 100% NPK directly applied to the soil (recommended dose). Application of higher rates of fertilizers through fertigation did not improve the yield significantly demonstrating that only 40% of the recommended NPK dose was sufficient when applied through irrigation water. In general the fertigation treatments produced higher yields than the conventional method of application. Highest nutrient use efficiency in terms of kg yield/kg of applied nutrient was obtained with fertigation. The average NPK use efficiency was highest under fertigation schedule- I (40% NPK dose). This fertigation treatment on an average resulted in 173.5 percent increase in fertilizer use efficiency in case of N and K and 173.6 percent increase in case of P over conventional method of fertilization. | |
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