Author(s):

Harshitha BV, Denesh GR, Fathima PS and Dakshayani VP

Abstract: The field experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, V.C. Farm, Mandya, UAS, Bangalore, Southern dry zone of Karnataka during kharif 2016 to study the effect of irrigation levels and foliar phosphorus nutrition on growth, yield, water use efficiency, soil properties and economics of maize under drip fertigation. The results revealed that, irrigation at 80% CPE recorded higher kernel (5753 kg ha^-1), stover yield (9642 kg ha^-1), growth and yield parameters of maizeand were statistically on par with irrigation at 100% CPE. Complementary to this, root density (1.19 g cc^-1) at 60 DAS and WUE (124.45 kg ha-cm^-1) were significantly higher with irrigation at 80% CPE. Whereas, FA of WSPF at 15 or 20 kg ha^-1 recorded higher kernel yield (5469 to 5787 kg ha^-1), stover yield (9715 to 9722 kg ha^-1), growth and yield parameters and PUE (289.40 to 519.30 kg kg^-1) of maize and were statistically on par with fertigation of WSPF or soil application of SSP. Similarly comparable results were with interaction. The soil chemical properties were on par for irrigation at 80 and 100 % CPE levels, similarly with P application methods and their interaction except for available soil P with soil application of SSP. The irrigation at 80% CPE recorded higher net returns and B:C ratio (42,723 Rs ha^-1 and 2.00, respectively). Further among P application methods, the higher net returns and B:C ratio were with FA of WSPF at 20 kg ha^-1 (43,718 Rs ha^-1 and 2.00, respectively) and were comparable with fertigation of WSPF or soil application of SSP.

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