Author(s):

Richa Jaswal and Sanjeev K Sandal

Abstract: Fertigation is an attractive technology in modern irrigated agriculture which not only increases yield and fertilizer use efficiency but also maintains optimal nutrient levels and water supply according to the specific needs of each crop and type of soil. A study was conducted at experimental farm of CSK HPKV, Palampur, during the year 2015-16 with the objectives of evaluating the effect of fertigation levels on nutrient uptake, leaf area index and fertilizer expense efficiency of strawberry under protected cultivation. The treatments comprised of, (a) three drip irrigation levels, DI_0.6(Daily drip irrigation at 60 per cent of open pan evaporation), DI_0.8(Daily drip irrigation at 80 per cent of open pan evaporation) and DI_1.0(Daily drip irrigation at 100 per cent of open pan evaporation) and (b) three NK fertigation levels <em>viz</em>.,<strong> </strong>NK₅₀(50% of RDF of which 25% applied as basal and rest 75 % through fertigation at weekly interval),<strong> </strong>NK₇₅(75% of RDF of which 25% applied as basal and rest 75 % through fertigation at weekly interval) and<strong> </strong>NK₁₀₀(100% of RDF of which 25% applied as basal and rest 75 % through fertigation at weekly interval). In addition, one control (C)- 100% RDF applied through conventional method (1/2 N and full PK as basal and remaining 1/2 N in equal split at monthly intervals) with drip irrigation at 1.0 PE was also kept. The results revealed that with increasing irrigation level from DI_0.6to DI_1.0 there was no significant improvement in plant nutrient uptake, leaf area index and fertilizer expense efficiency.However, increasingfertigation level from NK₅₀to NK₁₀₀ improved plant nutrient uptake, leaf area index and fertilizer expense efficiency. The N and K uptake in fruit in treatment NK₇₅ was statistically at par with NK₁₀₀.The P uptake in fruit in NK₅₀ was statistically at par with NK₁₀₀. The fertilizer expense efficiency (FEE) under various drip irrigation levels was non-significant. However, among different NK fertigation levels, the FEE in NK₇₅was statistically at par with NK₅₀. A saving of 40-60 % irrigation water and 25% NK was observed from the study.

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