Effect of fertigation on leaf nutrient content and fruit quality of high density plantation of Nagpur mandarin

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of fertigation on leaf nutrient status and fruit quality of high density plantation of Nagpur mandarin. A field experiment was carried out at Centre of Excellence for Citrus (CEC) Bharatnagar, Horticulture farm, College of Agriculture, Nagpur, Maharashtra on 6 year old Nagpur Mandarin having spacing 6 x 3 m. The treatments comprised of soil application of NPK fertilizers and five fertigation treatments i.e. 160, 140, 120, 100 and 80 per cent of the recommended dose of NPK fertilizers (1200:400:600 g NPK plant-1). The leaf nutrient content increased with increase in levels of NPK and highest content of N (2.63 %) and P (0.18 %) were recorded for 160 % of RDF through fertigation. The fruit quality parameters such as juice content (52.32 %), TSS (11.06Âo Brix) and acidity (0.81%) were recorded under 120 % of RDF through fertigation.