Potential Impact of Spacing and Fertilizer Levels on the Flowering, Productivity and Economic Viability of Hybrid Bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) under Drip Fertigation System

Govindarasu Rajaraman, Lakshmanan Pugalendhi

Department of Vegetable Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India;.
Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Yethapur, Tamil Nadu, India..

DOI: 10.4236/ajps.2013.49219                

Abstract

Drip irrigation provides an efficient method of fertilizer delivery and allows precise timing and uniform distribution of applied nutrients. Fertilizer application through drip irrigation (fertigation) can reduce fertilizer usage and minimize groundwater pollution due to fertilizer leaching from excessive irrigation. For this purpose, field experiments were carried out in the farmers’ field at Thoppur, Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu, during 2010-2012 to study the effect of spacing and fertilizer levels on the flowering, pod yield and economic viability of Bhendi Hybrid (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) under drip fertigation system. The treatments consisted of two spacings (M₁—60 × 45 cm and M₂— 60 × 30 cm) and eight drip fertigation levels (S₁—Drip fertigation with WSF at 125 per cent RDF + Azophosmet + Humic acid, S₂—Drip fertigation with WSF at 100 per cent RDF + Azophosmet + Humic acid, S₃—Drip fertigation with WSF at 75 per cent RDF + Azophosmet + Humic acid, S₄—Drip fertigation with WSF at 100 per cent RDF, S₅—Drip fertigation with SF at 125 per cent RDF + Azophosmet + Humic acid, S₆—Drip fertigation with SF at 100 per cent RDF + Azophosmet + Humic acid, S₇—Drip fertigation with SF at 75 per cent RDF + Azophosmet + Humic acid, S₈—Drip fertigation with SF at 100 per cent RDF), and were replicated thrice in a split plot design. Results showed that the earliest flowering (26.21 days), 50% flowering (51.31), number of flowers per plant (25.33) and highest pod yield of 596.70 g/plant, 24.91 t/ha was registered in drip fertigation at 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizers as water soluble fertilizer combination with Azophosmet and humic acid under wider spacing. The economics of the study clearly showed that drip fertigation at 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizers as water soluble fertilizer along with Azophosmet and humic acid under wider spacing was found to record higher BCR of 2.99.

Keywords

Flowering; Pod Yield; Economics; Fertilizers; Spacing; Bhendi Hybrid

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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