Evaluation of Productivity, Quality and Economics of Turmeric Under Different Moisture Regime and Integrated Nutrient Management at Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains, India

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during 2011 and 2012 at the Gangetic alluvial soils of West Bengal, India to assess the impact of four irrigation schedules and three nutrient sources on productivity, quality, water use efficiency (WUE) and economics of turmeric. The results showed that maximum yield was observed due to the main effects of irrigation schedule at 0.9 irrigation water (IW)/cumulative pan evaporation (CPE), nutrient schedule at 50% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) + 25% farmyard manure (FYM) + 25% vermicompost and their interactions at harvest stage during both years. The higher fresh (24.61 and 26.81 t ha−1) and cured (5.12 and 5.23 t ha−1) rhizome yield during both years, respectively, were registered under 0.9 IW/CPE with 50% RDF + 25% FYM + 25% vermicompost. The WUE was higher under 0.9 IW/CPE with 50% inorganic + 25% FYM + 25% vermicompost, resulting in a considerable increase in turmeric yield during both years. The irrigation and nutritional schedules (0.9 IW/CPE with 75% RDF + 25% FYM) had significantly higher return per rupee investment than other treatments. This study confirmed that application of irrigation at 0.9 IW/CPE and combine application organic and inorganic nutrient sources improved rhizome yield, WUE, quality and return per rupees investment, could be obtained more precisely from the knowledge of irrigation scheduling and integrated nutrient management.