Physicochemical properties of banana soils as influenced by drip-fertigation system

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted on banana during 2008-2010 at the Mondouri Research Farm of AICRP on Tropical Fruits, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal encompassing Genetic plains of India with three levels of drip irrigation at 50, 60 and 70% of CPE and three levels of drip fertigation at 50, 60 and 80% of recommended NPK fertilizers with one conventional surface irrigation at IW/CPE 1.0laid in an augmented factorial complete block design having three replications to assess the changes of physicochemical properties of soil. The results of the study showed that irrespective of irrigation methods and levels of drip fertigation soil fertilization, the physicochemical parameters of soil such as pH, EC, organic carbon, water holding capacity, permeability, porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity are consistently increasing with the increase depth of soil profile. However, drip fertigation system is found to be the best option in improving these soil health indices in comparison with the conventional surface irrigation and direct soil fertilization which is likely to increase the fruit yield, water and nutrient productivity of banana crop.