Effect of Buried Straw Layer Coupled with Fertigation on Florescence and Yield Parameters of Chinese Cabbage Under Greenhouse Environment

Abstract

Inefficient and over usage of chemical fertilizer and irrigation water have been a severe worry with an adversative environmental and economic effects in China. The experiments were conducted on Chinese cabbage for two consecutive seasons to investigate the effects of coupling fertigation with buried straw layer on crop florescence and yield parameters of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. chinensis) under greenhouse environment. The three factors randomized complete block design was applied having two levels each: (straw layer: S−, no straw; and S+, having buried straw layer, fertilizer: NH, 120 kg ha−1; and NL, 80 kg ha−1; and drip irrigation water: W50, 50%; and W30, 30% of evapotranspiration (ETO) with irrigation frequency of two days). The three-way ANOVA indicated that T4 (S+NLW30) and T5 (S−NHW50) gave higher values of maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm), maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax), and chlorophyll content (Chl) which ultimately affected the fresh crop yield positively under these treatments when compared with all other treatments. The maximum values of plant dry biomass and roots dry biomass were also achieved under T4 (S+NLW30) and T5 (S−NHW50) treatments when compared with the other treatments. Although T4 and T5 have no significant difference in florescence and yield parameters but T4 saved 14–23% water and 33% nitrogen fertilizer. Therefore, T4 could be adopted as a strategy to manage water and nitrogen fertilizer for optimum growth of Chinese cabbage.