Effect of fertigation levels and intervals on growth performance of Bittergourd

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2018-2019 and summer 2019-2020 to standardize the fertigation levels and intervals for assessing growth performance viz., vine length (cm), number of branches, leaf area (cm2) and chlorophyll content (mg/g) of bittergourd. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with two replications. The main plot treatment consist of five fertigation levels (F) viz., F1- 100% of RDF through soil as a straight fertilizer, F2- 120% of RDF through water soluble fertilizer, F3- 100% of RDF through water soluble fertilizer, F4 ­­- 80% of RDF through water soluble fertilizer, and F5- 60% of RDF through water soluble fertilizer and sub plot treatment included three fertigation intervals (S) viz.,S1- at 4 days interval, S2- at 8 days interval and S3- at 12 days interval. The results revealed superiority of fertigation treatment F2 (120% of RDF through water soluble fertilizer) for vine length (426.70, 385.00 and 405.85 cm respectively), number of branches (20.60, 26.40 and 23.50 respectively) both at 90 DAS and leaf area (73.20, 74.46 and 68.03 cm2 respectively) whereas, treatment S1 (fertigation at 4 days interval) which showed maximum values in both the season and pooled mean for above characters like vine length (408.58, 368.68and 388.63 cm respectively), number of branches (19.48, 25.24 and 22.36 respectively) both at 90 DAS and leaf area (69.80, 70.20 and 65.59 cm2 respectively). As regards the treatment combination that the application of 120% of RDF through water soluble fertilizer (ferigation) with 4 days interval recorded highest vine length at 90 DAS (460.60, 429.00 and 444.80 cm respectively), number of branches at 90 DAS(24.70, 28.60 and 26.65 respectively) and leaf area during kharif season, summer season and pooled mean.