Vol. 11, Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
S Thenmozhi, G Thiyagarajan, M Manikandan and J Bhuvaneswari

Abstract:
An experiment was laid out in strip plot design with three replications. Each replication consist of eighteen treatment combinations with six irrigation methods viz., I₁ – Drip irrigation, I₂ – Drip fertigation, I₃ – Sub surface drip irrigation, I₄ – Sub surface drip fertigation, I₅ – Sprinkler irrigation and I₆ – Conventional method of irrigation as main plot and three fertilizer levels viz., S₁ – Absolute control (No fertilizer), S₂ – Recommended dose of NPK fertilizers through normal fertilizers / Recommended dose of NPK fertilizers through water soluble fertilizers (According to the irrigation treatment) and S₃ - S₂ + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 in sub plot. The growth and yield parameters viz., the plant height, cob length, cob girth and hundred seed weight were recorded during harvest. The growth and yield attributes, yield, economics and water use efficiency recorded higher values in sub surface drip fertigation (I₄). Similarly, application of fertilizer i.e., 100% of recommended dose (250: 75: 75 kg NPK ha^-1) of NPK fertilizers + vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 recorded significantly higher values of above mentioned growth and yield attributes as well as yield, economic and water use efficiency than the other treatments.