Economic feasibility of drip irrigation in garlic (Allium sativum)

Abstract

An investigation was carried out during inter- and intera-row spacing of 15 and 10 the winter season (rabi) of 1991-92 at cm respectively. The lateral pipe lines were Agronomy Farm, Junagadh, to test the eco- laid out in plot at 60 cm distance. The drop- nomic feasibility of drip-irrigation method pers were fitted on lateral line at the dis- in garlic (Allium sutivum L.) crop. The soil tance of 45 cm. of experimental plot was medium in avail- The maximum dry weight of weeds was able nitrogen and potassium and low in noticed under surface method of irrigation available phosphorus, with slightly alkaline and it was significantly higher over all the in reaction. The treatment comprising 5 lev- levels of drip-irrigation method (Table 1). - els of irrigation method in main plot and 3 The less dry weight of weeds recorded under levels of nitrogen in subplot (Table 1). The the drip-irrigation method may be due to experiment was laid out in split-plot design partial wetting of the soil. Significantly with 4 replications. Irrigation was applied at higher N uptake was recorded under drip ir- an interval of 8-10 days with 50 mm depth rigation method at 1.0 CPE (equal amount in surface method. In drip-irrigation of CPE) than surface method and all the method, irrigation was applied alternate day other levels of drip-irrigation method. The on the basis of cumulative pan evaporation increase in solubility of nutrients with in- (CPE). If cumulative pan evaporation is 1 crease in water content is responsible for mm, then 0.4,O.G and 0.8 fraction of CPE (1 higher content of N in plant and ultimately mm) and equal amount of water (1 .O) to that increase in the N uptake. The different of CPE were applied in respective treat- methods of irrigation did not differ statisti- ments, i.e. irrigation was applied @ 40 (0.4 cally for available N content in soil and bulk fraction of CPE), 60 (0.6 fraction of CPE), density of the soil after harvesting of the 80 (0.8 fraction of CPE) and 100 (1.0 CPE) crop. Different levels of drip-irrigation % of cumulative pan evaporation in respec- method saved the water 27.20-62.80% tive treatments. Crop was fertilized with ni- compared with surface method. This may be trogen as per treatments. Half the quantity due to the fact that in drip-irrigation method of N and entire quantity of P,O, (50 kglha) water was applied into the root zone of the and q O (50 kgha) were applied at the time crop in right quantity minimizes conven- of sowing. Remaining quantity of N was tional loss as deep percolation, run-off and top-dressed 1 month after sowing. Sowing soil-water evaporation. Drip irrigation at 1.0 was done on 30 October 1991 using recom- CRE (equal amount of CPE) was found sig- mended seedmte of 450 kgha and keeping niiicantly superior to surface method and