EFFECT OF FERTIGATION ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF PAPAYA CV. RED LADY

This study was undertaken to study the effect of fertigation on yield and quality of papaya so as to standardize the optimum dose for papaya through fertigation. It was conducted at Horticultural Research Station, Anantharajupet, in a randomized block design with 4 replications. The treatments consisted of T1 (100% RDF through drip), T2 (75% RDF through drip), T3 (50% RDF through drip), T4 (100% RDF through soil and drip irrigation) and control (100% RDF through soil and conventional irrigation). RDF i.e. recommended dose of fertilizers comprised of 250 g N, 250 g P 2 O 5 and 500 g K. In the case of T1-T3, N and K alone was applied through drip while phosphorus was applied through soil once in two months. Online drippers with a discharge rate of 8 L/h was followed for all the plants spaced at 1.8×1.8 m. Quantity of water applied was worked out based on daily pan evaporation value. The scheduling interval of fertigation was followed at weekly intervals. Results indicated that 75% N and K when applied through drip recorded a yield of 100.42 kg/plant which was on par with the yield of plants supplied with 100% RDF (102.60 kg/plant). The yield components like no. of fruits/plant, fruit weight were superior in the treatments where fertilizers were applied through drip compared to the treatments in which soil application of fertilizers was done. Further the results also indicated that the quality characters of fruits like fruit length, circumference, volume and TSS, in fertigated treatments were superior to other treatments. Since there was no significant difference between 100 and 75% N and K treatments through drip regarding yield and yield attributes, the latter dosage is economical over the former.