Effect of planting density, irrigation and fertigation levels on water saving and water use efficiency of brinjal (Solanum melongenaL.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi-hot weather of 2009-2010 at Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri (M.S.). The soil of experimental field was sandy clay loam in texture and moderately acidic in reaction, medium in available N, low in available P2O5 and high in K2O content. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design consisted of three planting density viz., S1-75×75cm, S2-75-50×90cm, S3-175-50×50cm and three irrigation levels (I1-100 % ETcrop, I2-80 % ETcrop, I3-60 % ETcrop). The sub plot treatment comprised of two fertigation levels viz., F1-100 per cent RDF through drip (WSF), F2-80 per cent RDF through drip (WSF). Thus, these eighteen treatments combinations were replicated thrice. Field water use efficiency (FWUE) was maximum i.e. 46.91 q ha-1-cm in treatment combination of plant spacing S3 (175-50×50cm) with I3 (60 % ETcrop) and F1 (100 % RDF through drip). The treatment wise saving of water over check basin irrigation method was 66.94, 78.47, and 88.94 per cent in the treatments I1 (100 % ETcrop), I2 (80 % ETcrop) and I3 (60 % ETcrop), respectively.