Effect of Fertigation on Yield, Water Use, Economics and Storability of Onion (Allium cepa) cultivated in Inceptisols

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted to study the effect on yield, water use, economics and storability of onion during rabi season of 2014-17 at Interfaculty Department of Irrigation Water Management, MPKV Rahuri. The experiment comprised of 100, 80 and 60 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer through fertigation, irrigation N and K through drip and P application in soil, drip with conventional fertilizers application in soil, surface irrigation with conventional fertilizers as control and micro-sprinkler irrigation with 100 % RDF through fertigation. The drip irrigation was beneficial than surface irrigation in increasing the yield (78.8 %) and saving the fertilizer. The total seasonal water requirement in drip irrigation was 480.3 mm compared to 807.2 mm in surface irrigation. The drip irrigation with 100 % RDF though fertigation was profitable higher net seasonal income of Rs. 2,74,445 per ha, compared to control (Rs.1,41,955 per ha) with B:C of 4.62 and water productivity of Rs. 566 per mm of water used. The micro-sprinkler irrigation with 100 % RDF through fertigation had significantly maximum total storage losses of 21.10 per cent followed by surface irrigation with 100 % RD of conventional fertilizer (19.86 %) and drip irrigation with 100 % RDF through fertigation. The results revealed that drip fertigation with 100 % RDF through fertigation in 13 weekly splits as per schedule is the best treatment to improve the yield, economical returns and storability of onion (var. N-2-4-1) cultivated in silty clay loam soils of Western Maharashtra.