Vol. 9, Issue 5 (2020)

Author(s):
PD Hendre, SA Ranpise and PS Pawar

Abstract:
Water and nutrient use efficiency are primary requirements for optimum and sustained citrus productivity. The interactive effect of irrigation and fertigation levels on growth and yield of 10-year-old sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) cv. Phule Mosambi was studied through a field experiment during 2017 and 2018 at research farm of AICRP on Fruits, Department of Horticulture, MPKV Rahuri. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with nine treatment combinations, comprising three irrigation levels (100%, 80% and 60% of daily crop evapo-transpiration), three fertigation levels (100%, 80% and 60% RDF based NPK doses through water soluble fertilizers) and control with surface irrigation and band placement of conventional fertilizers(SI+BPF) replicated thrice. The growth parameters such as incremental growth in plant height, E-W plant spread, N-S plant spread, canopy volume and yield parameters like fruit numbers, fruit weight and yield were observed to be significantly higher in the treatment T₁-I₁F₁ having irrigation at 100% ETc and fertigation at 100% RD through WSF however the yield was statistically at par with the treatment T₅- I₂F₂ comprising irrigation at 80% of ETc and fertigation with 80% of RD with WSF. The sustained productivity of sweet orange can be achieved with irrigation scheduled at 80% ETc along with fertigation technology at 80% RDF especially under scarcity conditions.