Effect of plant growth regulators and fertigation on nutrients uptake and soil fertility of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) in vertisols of South-East Rajasthan

Abstract

In this study, the experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design and treatment combinations consisting of plant growth regulators levels (Naphthalene acetic acid 0, 50 and 100 ppm and ethrel 0, 150 and 250 ppm) and fertigation levels (0, 75 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers). Maximum mean electric conductivity (0.356 dS/m), soil nitrogen (298.30 kg/ha), soil phosphorus (49.29 kg/ha), soil potassium (417.47 kg/ha), soil organic carbon (0.370%) and water holding capacity (46.17%) was noticed under 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizers through fertigation. However, interaction effects were found to be better to their individual effects and showed that interaction of 100 ppm NAA + 150 ppm ethrel + 100 per cent RDF through fertigation (N2E1F2) significantly improve the physico-chemical properties of soil. Similarly, among the different interaction effects, maximum mean leaf nitrogen (2.086%, 2.163% and 1.901%), leaf phosphorus (0.203%, 0.246% and 0.186%) and leaf potassium (1.857%, 1.969% and 1.654%) was recorded in treatment N2E1F2 at 60, 120 and 180 days after treatment, respectively. Our results suggest that spray of plant growth regulators at pre flowering and post flowering stage and application of fertigation in four equal split dose from 1 July to 1 October was a better measure to improve physico-chemical properties of soil as well as nutrient content of plant. Our research provides scientific basis for the technology in interaction of soil and plant nutrients.