Effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on dry matter production fruit yield mineral uptake and field water use efficiency of watermelon
Hedge, D.M.
International Journal of Tropical Agriculture 5(3-4): 166-174
1987
Accession: 007251486
Investigations carried out at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta, Bangalore during 1983-84 and 1984-85 indicated that irrigating watermelon when soil matric potential at 15 cm depth reached -25 kPa resulted in the highest dry matter production (193.0 g/plant), fruit yield (35.58 t/ha) and mineral uptake (51.82, 9.67, 50.28, 30.67 and 8 15 kG N, P, K, Ca, Mg/ha, respectively) which were significantly higher as compared to irrigating at -50 and -75 kPa. Field water use efficiency (FWUE) increased (15%) with decreasing frequency of irrigation. Stress of -75 kPa imposed during pre-flowering or flowering of fruit development stage significantly reduced dry matter (16-18%), fruit yield (19-24%) and mineral uptake (16-19%) as compared to that uniformly irrigated at -25 kPa. Increasing N application significantly increased the dry matter (54%), fruit yield (32%), mineral uptake (51%) and FWUE (32%) only upto 120 kg N/ha.