Vol. 8, Issue 4 (2019)

Author(s):
J Bhuvaneswari, G Thiyagarajan, M Manikandan, SK Natarajan, S Thenmozhi and NK Prabhakaran

Abstract:
On farm experiment under Operational Research Project on improved water management technologies in sugarcane were conducted in farmers fields one each at head, middle and tail reaches of Kugalur distributory of Lower Bhavani Project canal command areas during 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. The objectives of the experiment were to test verify drip fertigation in sugarcane at farmers holdings. The experiment consisted of improved water management technology (drip irrigation once in 3 days at 80 per cent PE, fertigation of N and K (275 kg ha^-1 and 112.5 kg ha^-1) in 14 equal splits, with 15 days interval from 15 DAP) and conventional method (0.75 IW/CPE ratio). Drip irrigation laterals were laid with 150 cm lateral spacing and sugarcane sets were planted in paired row planting, 60 cm between rows and 90 cm between 2 pairs of rows. The discharge rate of the dripper was 4 lph and the irrigation was given once in three days and fertigation was given once in 15 days from 15 DAP. The results of this study revealed that drip fertigation recorded lower water use of 1740 mm and higher WUE of 84.1 kg hamm^-1 and 28.3 per cent water saving. The higher yield of sugarcane 146.3 tonnes ha-1 was recorded in drip fertigation technology which was 58.9 per cent higher than conventional method. The B:C ratio (2.87) was higher in drip fertigation treatment compared to conventional method. Drip irrigation once in 3 days at 80 per cent PE and fertigation of N and K (275 kg ha^-1 and 112.5 kg ha^-1) in 14 equal splits with 15 days interval from 15 DAP recorded lower water use, higher WUE, yield and economics in sugarcane.