Response of drip fertigation and mulching on growth and fruit yield of pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica).

摘要

The effects of drip irrigation (60, 80 or 100% of pan evaporation or PE), NPK rate (180:90:90, 135:67.5:67.5, or 90:45:45 kg/ha applied through drip irrigation, corresponding to F1, F2 and F3 treatments) and rice straw mulch (7.5 or 15.0 t/ha) on the performance of T. dioica were studied in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India, during 2002-03. Irrigation at 80 and 60% PE reduced the fruit yield by 12.7 and 24.9% over 100% PE. F1 gave higher fruit yields than F2 (by 7.3%) and F3 (by 27.1%), although the variation between F1 and F2 was not significant. Thus, the application of NPK through drip irrigation may reduce the required NPK rate by 25%. Mulching had no significant effects on fruit yield. Water use efficiency did not significantly vary among the irrigation, NPK and mulch treatments. Irrigation and mulch had no marked effect on the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE). Increasing the fertilizer rate from F3 to F1 reduced the FUE, and the N, P and K use efficiency. F1 resulted in higher fruit yields than F2 and F3. Fruit weight was higher under F1 by 12.0 and 17.7% over F2 and F3. Fruit length, fruit diameter, and fruit volume decreased when the fertilizer rate was reduced from F1 to F2 (by 7.6, 14.3 and 2.4%) and F3 (16.0, 15.8 and 18.3%). The soil water content at 0- to 15-cm depth was highest under 100% PE, followed by 80 and 60% PE (20.4, 18.4 and 14.3%). The response to applied irrigation water, fertilizer and mulch decreased as the levels of these inputs increased..