Effect of fertigation on nitrogen & water use efficiency, chlorophyll fluorescence and normalized difference vegetation index of chilli crop under drip irrigation

Abstract

This study was carried out during 11 August, 2017 to 10 December, 2017. The area is characterized as semiarid. The average annual rainfall of the district is 450mm which is unevenly distributed over the area. The district area forms a part of Indo-Gangetic plain. The area as a whole is almost flat alluvial plain dotted with sand hummocks and sand dunes. Fertigation was applied with good quality water under drip irrigation. Similarly, fertilizer was applied under surface irrigation. Under drip, three nitrogen fertigation levels (i.e. 75%, 100% and 125% of RDN) were imposed. The recommended dose of N P K for chilli crop is 62, 30 & 30 kg/ha respectively. To compare the results of drip irrigation one treatment of control was composed with surface irrigation having 100% RDN. Water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), chlorophyll fluorescence and normalized difference vegetation index was computed for each treatment. Chilli yield obtained under weekly fertigation with RDN was 20.67% higher under drip irrigation (11.56 t/ha) as compared to weekly fertilizer application of RDN under surface irrigation (9.58 t/ha). Chilli yield obtained under fortnightly fertigation with RDN was 38.55% higher under drip irrigation (10.53 t/ha) as compared to fortnightly fertilizer application of RDN under surface irrigation (7.60 t/ha).