Response of spring season grown okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) to drip irrigation and fertigation

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2015 and 2016 on
loamy sand soil to study the effect of drip irrigation and
fertigation as compared to surface furrow irrigation on the
fruit yield, water use efficiency of Okra (Abelsmoschus
esculentus var Punjab 8).The treatments comprised of three
levels of drip irrigation in combination with three levels of
fertigation and surface furrow irrigation was considered as
control treatment. The results showed that best drip
fertgation treatment I3F2 (2015) and I2F3 (2016) recorded 27.0
and 24.3 per cent higher fruit yield as compared to
conventional furrow irrigated crop. The averaged values of
water use efficiency was enhanced from 26.1 kg ha-1mm-1
under control plot to 42.2 kg ha-1mm-1 under I3 and 52.8 kg
ha-1mm-1 under I2 irrigation treatment.The maximum water
use efficiency of 60.4 kg ha-1mm-1was obtained under I1 (0.6
ETc) which gave same fruit yield as under conventional
furrow irrigated crop and saved irrigation water to the extent
of 55.4 percent as compared to control plot. The net returns
obtained under drip fertigation were higher to the extent of
25.6 per cent as compared to furrow irrigated control plot.