Effect of fertigation levels and schedules on yield attributes of green chilli under protected conditions

Abstract

The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with twelve treatment combinations and each treatment was replicated thrice. There were two factors in this research experiment the main factor consist of fertigation with four levels i.e. 50%, 75%, 100% and 125% of RDF (112: 37: 37, 169: 56: 56, 225: 75: 75 and 281: 94: 94 NPK kg ha-1). The sub-factor was scheduling of fertilizers consist of three levels i.e. S1-(60% NPK at vegetative stage i.e. 2-42 DAT with 6 splits, 20% NPK at reproductive stage i.e. 43-73 DAT with 4 splits, 20% NPK at maturity stage i.e. 74-144 DAT with 10 splits), S2-(40% NPK at vegetative stage i.e. 2-42 DAT with 6 splits, 30% NPK at reproductive stage i.e. 43-73 DAT with 4 splits, 30% NPK at maturity stage i.e. 74-144 DAT with 10 splits) and S3-(20% NPK at vegetative stage i.e.2-42 DAT with 6 splits, 40% NPK at reproductive stage i.e. 43-73 DAT with 4 splits, 40% NPK at maturity stage i.e. 74-144 DAT with 10 splits). The results reveal that, among fertigation levels, the application of 125% RDF through fertigation and among fertigation schedules, application of schedule S3 -(20% NPK at vegetative stage i.e. 2-42 DAT with 6 splits, 40% NPK at reproductive stage i.e. 43-73 DAT with 4 splits, 40% NPK at maturity stage i.e. 74-144 DAT with 10 splits) was found to be best in terms of yield and yield attributing parameters viz., days required for first flower initiation, days to 50 per cent flowering, days to first harvest, number of pickings, fruit length, fruit diameter, number of fruits per plant, average weight of fruit, yield per plant, yield per plot and yield per hectare under protected conditions.