Response of Fertigation Under Buried Straw Layer on Growth, Yield, and Water-fertilizer Productivity of Chinese Cabbage Under Greenhouse Conditions

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn the present study, the effect of buried straw (two levels; MS; buried straw layer and MN; no straw layer), nitrogen fertilizer (two levels: FH, 120 kg ha−1 and FL, 80 kg ha−1), and deficit drip irrigation with irrigation frequency of 2 days (two irrigation regimes: I50; 50% and I30; 30% of evapotranspiration) was investigated on a greenhouse-grown leafy cabbage for two consecutive seasons. The results indicated that in both the seasons, T5 (MNFHI50) gave higher yield when compared to all other treatments but it also utilized more water and fertilizer. On the other hand, with a 5–10% decrease in yield comparing to T5 (MNFHI50), T2 (MBSFLI50) and T4 (MSFLI30) saved 33% of fertilizer. T4 (MBSFLI30) also gave the highest water and fertilizer use efficiencies when compared to all other treatments. However, it was clearly noted that T4 (MSFLI30) treatment could save water and nitrogen without a significant decrease in fresh yield of Chinese cabbage. Hence, T4 (MsFLI30) is the recommended strategy to manage water and nitrogen fertilizer for getting optimal leafy cabbage plant growth and yield.