Response of red chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) to fertigation and mulching

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of red chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) during 2015-16 at the Division of vegetable crops, Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Hessaraghatta, Bangalore to determine the effect of different fertigation sources and mulching on growth parameters, yield and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE). Fertigation was done both water soluble fertilizers and normal fertilizers with different doses. The results revealed that significantly higher growth and yield parameters viz., plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, leaf area and leaf area index, number of fruits per plant, length of the fruit (cm), girth of the fruit (cm), fruit weight (g) dry fruit yield per plant (g), dry fruit yield per hectare (t) were observed by the treatments viz., application of water soluble fertilizers 100 per cent (Recommended dose of fertilizers) RDF using urea, 19:19:19 and KNO3 through fertigation with mulching, followed by Normal fertilizers 100 per cent RDF using Urea, DAP, MOP through fertigation with mulching. From this investigation it is concluded that water soluble fertilizers as well as normal fertilizers fertigation with mulching ideal for maximum growth and yield of the chilli crop.