Studies on Drip Fertigation of Npk Fertilizers in Groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2012 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru to study the effect of fertigation with different sources, levels of fertilizer and methods of fertilizer application on growth, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of groundnut in red sandy loam soil. There were eight treatments viz., 50, 75 and 100% of RDF through normal and water soluble fertilizers (WSF) with surface and drip irrigation methods which were replicated thrice. Drip fertigation with 100% WSF recorded significantly higher pod yield (2798 kg ha· 1 ), higher number of pods plant· 1 (41.3) and WUE (69.08 kg/ha-cm) compared to other treatments. However it was on par with drip fertigation with 75% WSF. Among the drip fertigation treatments significant yield reduction was noticed with drip fertigation of normal fertilizers (NF) at 50% recommended dose. It was found that due to drip irrigation the amount of water was saved 32.1 % over surface irrigation. However due to high cost of WSF, higher net returns ha·1 (Rs. 67,970 ha· 1 ) and B:C of 2.54 was recorded in drip fertigation with 100% RDF through normal fertilizers.