Effect of subsurface drip irrigation-fertigation regimes on high density cotton cultivation in sodic soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of subsurface drip irrigation- fertigation regimes on high density cotton cultivation under sodic soil at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tiruchirapalli during kharif 2019-20. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of combination of two factors viz., four subsurface drip irrigation levels (I1 – 0.4 Epan, I2 – 0.6 Epan, I3 – 0.8 Epan and I4– 1.0 Epan) and three fertigation levels (N1 – 100% RDF, N2 – 125%, RDF and N3– 150% RDF). Readings taken at the harvest stage revealed that the plant height, leaf area index, dry matter production and seed cotton yield were recorded significantly higher with subsurface drip irrigation level of 1.0 Epan. Among fertigation levels 150% RDF significantly recorded higher plant height, leaf area index and dry matter production but the total number of bolls plant-1, bolls m-2 and seed cotton yield were significantly higher with the fertigation of 125% RDF. The study shows that for better productivity of cotton in this region, subsurface drip irrigation of 1.0 Epan combined with fertigation of 125% RDF may be recommended for compact cotton varieties.