Vol. 11, Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
K Patnaik, S Dash, C Patra, DK Dash, S Swain, PC Pradhan, A Mishra and R Bhol

Abstract:
The effect of fertigation levels with and without plastic mulching; on the vegetative growth of pineapple variety ‘Simhachalam’ was studied in both plant and ratoon crops at experimental research farm of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar during 2016-19. Different levels of the recommended fertilizers and mulching were tried along with a control. In both the plant and ratoon crops, fertigation with full fertilizers and mulch resulted in maximum values in plant height (99.4 cm), number of leaves (53.09), plant spread of N-S orientation (89.90cm), plant spread E-W orientation (83.50 cm), D leaf length (60.95 cm, 84.50cm), width (3.74cm, 4.53cm) and area (206.43 cm², 448.16 cm²) both at crop establishment and flower induction stages respectively. Chlorophyll contents were not affected by the treatments. However, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content were observed highest under mulch and full fertilizer doses in form of fertigation with 1.29 mg/g, 1.43 mg/g and 2.44 mg/g, respectively. At flower induction stage the same treatment also recorded highest nitrogen content (1.95%) and potassium content (2.53%) in leaves. The yield per plot (34.84 kg) was also recorded highest in the treatment applied with 100% RDF fertigation with mulch.