The effect of farmyard manure, nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation frequency on growth and yield of chillies on calcic red latosols
Sivasangaranathan, M.; Pain, A.
Tropical Agriculturist 138: 59-68
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-3224 Accession: 001482597
Field experiments were conducted on chillies (PC1 variety) during May-Nov. (Yala) and Dec.-May (Maha) seasons on Calcic Red Latosols of Jaffna. In two experiments to test interactions between farmyard manure (FYM), nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation frequency, chilli dry pod yields on plots with FYM at 12.5 and 25.0 t/ha did not differ significantly from yields in plots which received no FYM. In the Yala trial irrigating to field capacity once in five days as compared with once in three days resulted in a significant yield reduction of 22% (P = 0.01) and thus was independent of FYM application rate. Yields of plots given 45 and 90 kg N/ha did not differ significantly. In the Maha trial neither FYM rate nor irrigation frequency caused significant differences in yield but there was a 17.5% yield reduction when the nitrogen rate was reduced from the Department of Agriculture recommended rate of 90 kg N/ha to 22.5 kg N/ha. However, the organic matter content of the soil was always greater in FYM manured plots than in unmanured plots. No evidence was found for any short term improvement in water or nutrient uptake by chillies as a result of FYM applications.