EFFECT OF DRIP IRRIGATION AND MULCH ON SOIL HYDRO-THERMAL REGIMES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF APPLE

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SEMINAR SESSION:MICRO IRRIGATION(DRIP SPRINKLER ETC) EFFECT OF DRIP IRRIGATION AND MULCH ON SOIL HYDRO-THERMAL REGIMES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF APPLE (Malus Domestica Borkh) cv. Oregon Spur)

Dr. J.N.RAINA PROFESSOR AND HEAD (SOILS) DEPARTMENT OF SOIL SCIENCE &WATER MANAGEMENT DR.Y.S.PARMAR UNIV.OF HORTICULTURE &FORESTRY NAUNI (SOLAN) HP 173230


INTRODUCTION DRIP IRRIGATION : MOST EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY-FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CROPS HIMALAYAN REGION  MULCH : IN-SITU MOISTURE CONSERVATION :TEMPERATURE MODERATION : WEED CONTROL  HORTICULTURE: MAIN ECONOMY OF HILL FARMERS- APPLE -NW HIMALAYAN REGION  CONSEQUENCES OF DRIP IRRIGATION ESPECIALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH MULCH IN APPLE. OBJECTIVES TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF DRIP IRRIGATION & MULCH ON SOIL HYDRO-THERMAL REGIMES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF APPLE


300

CLIMATIC WATER BALANCE ) R.F.mm

250 200 150 100 50

::::::::: ::::::: : :::::::::: :::::::::: Water deficit e :::::::::::::: ::::::::::: period :::: ::::::i::::::: : :::::: :::::::: ::::::::::: ::::::::::::: :::::

Water deficit period

:::::::::::::: : ::::::::::::::: :::: ::::::: ::::::::

T O P V /E L F IN A R

0

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTH


Location-Material and Methods and observations Field trials on apple were executed during 2010-2011 at Rohru (Shimla),located at an altitude of 1720 m amsl .Three drip irrigation levels equals to 100, 80 and 60 per cent of ETc were tried both , with and without mulch and were compared with conventional surface irrigation and rainfed condition. Irrigations were commenced w.e.f 15th March every year and continued till end June.

“V” VOLUME OF WATER EQUALL TO 100 % ETC WAS COMPUTED USING FARMULA V=∑ (Ep x Kc x Kp x CF – Re x Ax N) where, V is the volume of water as litres/tree mulching with black polyethylene sheet of 100 micron thickness

Soil moisture

was determined gravimetrically taking soil samples at 0, 15, 30 and 45 cm horizontal distance from the at 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40 and 40-50 cm soil depth. intervals.

Soil temperature

was recorded under at weekly

The data on trunk girth, tree height, annual shoot growth (ASG) and tree spread was recorded before execution and after termination of


An over view of the experimental orchard


Drip Irrigation

Surface Irrigation

Spatial soil moisture distribution pattern under drip and Surface irrigation


Soil moisture content under drip irrigation remained higher in the upper soil layers (0-30 cm) whereas, under conventional surface irrigation, deeper soil layers registered higher moisture content. Application of plastic mulch was effective in conserving the soil moisture and resulted in 2-4 per cent unit higher soil moisture especially, in 0-30 cm depth compared to unmulched Soil moisture under different treatments condition


without mulch

With mulch

oC )

30 25 20 15

pratu( em T

10

9.4

12.5

14.5

17.7

18.6

21.7

21.6

23.2

22.9 24.2

5 0 Greentip-pink Flowering and Walnut stage bud fruit set

Fruit devp.stage

Growth stage

Minimum soil temperature

Pre-harvest fruit devp stage


Average minimum and maximum soil temperature (oC) Considering the average values for entire growing season, application of black polyethylene mulch (irrespective of treatment), raised the minimum soil temperature by 2.5 oC over unmulched conditions however, it failed to alter the maximum soil temperature appreciably


M0

M1

-2 )

25 21.1 20 15 11.0 10

9.0

8.4

5 1.2

edpoulatin(cm W

10.4

1.5

1.3

1.2

1.3

0 RF

SI

DI-100

Weed population treatments

DI-80

under

Di-60

irrigation


Table :Effect of drip irrigation on tree growth, yield and quality of apple Yield (t ha-1)

Increase over initial status (cm) Irrigation levels

I0 RF I1 SI I2DI 100 % ETC I3 DI 80 % ETC I4DI 80 % ETC CD 0.05

ASG

Tree height

Tree spread M0

M0

M1

M0

M1

19.9

22.7

20.7

23.5

34.8

39.8

38.6

43.9

41.4

42.8

45.5

46.9

31.5

38.4

35.6

42.5

21.6

30.4

24.9

34.5

6.56

6.51

22.1 39.8 47.0 33.2 24.2

M1

24.9 44.6 47.2 41.7 33.7 5.73

Fruit dia. Fruit weight (cm) (g)

M0

M1

M0

M1

M0

M1

7.0

7.2

5.1

5.2

79.2

82.8

10.3

11.2

6.4

7.1

105.7 116.0

12.1

12.2

7.1

7.2

116.5 116.7

9.4

11.3

6.4

6.9

104.8 114.5

7.5

9.3

5.4

6.6

88.0 103.7

1.85

0.71

9.50


•SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION REMAINED HIGHER IN THE UPPER SOIL LAYERS (0-30 CM) WHEREAS, UNDER CONVENTIONAL SURFACE IRRIGATION, DEEPER SOIL LAYERS REGISTERED HIGHER MOISTURE CONTENT. •MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION UNDER DRIP FOLLOWED THREE DIMENSIONAL MOVEMENTS COVERING VERTICAL, LATERAL AND DIAGONAL DIRECTIONS. THE WETTING FRONT EXTENDED UP TO 45 CM HORIZONTALLY HOWEVER, THE MAXIMUM MOISTURE CONTENT REMAINED CONFINED NEAR THE EMITTING POINT •APPLICATION OF BLACK PM RESULTED IN 2-4 PER CENT UNIT HIGHER SOIL MOISTURE COMPARED TO UNMULCHED CONDITION. •MULCH RAISED THE MINIMUM SOIL TEMPERATURE BY 2.5 OC, WHEREAS, IT FAILED TO ALTER THE MAXIMUM SOIL TEMPERATURE APPRECIABLY. •DRIP IRRIGATION RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER TREE GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF APPLE, COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL PRACTICES. •STUDIES REVEALED 25 PER CENT WATER SAVINGS IN DRIP ALONE AND 40 PER CENT IN DRIP IRRIGATION PLUS MULCH COMPARED TO SURFACE IRRIGATION BESIDES 13 PER CENT HIGHER FRUIT YIELD.


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