STUDIES ON EFFECT OF FERTIGATION WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF N AND K FERTILIZERS ON GROWTH, YIELD, QUALITY AND ECONOMICS OF EARLY SEASON CAPSICUM (CAPSICUM ANNUM L. VAR. GROSSUM) UNDER COVER

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years (2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08) at the Horticulture Experimental Farm, under Precision Farming Development Centre, Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat with an objective to find out the economic dose of N and K through fertigation for polyhouse grown early season capsicum and its effect on growth, yield, quality and economics of cultivation under naturally ventilated polyhouse. Data of three consecutive years revealed that drip irrigation at 100% evaporation replenishment along with supplementation of 100% recommended N and K though fertigation, recorded significantly highest growth attributes, yield attributes and yield of early capsicum grown under cover in I crop, II crop and III crop respectively. Pooled data averaged over the three years revealed that fertigation with 100 % recommended N and K recorded 61.09% increased yield over conventional fertilization. Regarding quality parameters, significantly highest ascorbic acid content were recorded by 100% fertigation level. Study on cost economics revealed that, 100 % recommended N and K as fertigation recorded the highest cost benefit ratio of 1: 1.72. Therefore, it can be inferred that for early season capsicum grown inside naturally ventilated polyhouse, irrigation scheduling at 100% evaporation replenishment through drip irrigation coupled with 100% recommended N and K (120: 60 kg/ha) as fertigation improved the growth, yield and quality of the crop with highest cost benefit ratio (1: 1.72), and may be recommended for the agro-climatic conditions of Jorhat (Assam).