Abstract

      Field experiment was conducted at Gopalapuram village of Salem district, Tamil Nadu during Rabi, 2017 under irrigated condition with an objective of optimizing the fertilizer dose and split application of N and K for obtaining higher productivity in castor hybrid YRCH 2. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of two graded dose of fertilizers viz., 100 and 125% with the combination of 3 splits (basal, 30 and 60 DAS), 4 splits (basal, 30, 60 and 90 DAS) and 5 splits (basal, 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAS). The results of the field experimentation revealed that application of 125 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer with five split application at basal, 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAS had recorded the higher plant height (129.1 cm), higher dry matter production (6105 kg ha^-1) and LAI (1.107) at 150 DAS. Whereas, 125 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer with four split application at basal, 30, 60 and 90 DAS had produced more branches (14.60) at 150 DAS. With regard to floral phenology, crop attained fifty per cent flowering at 54.6 days under 125 per cent RDF along with five split application which was followed by 125 per cent RDF with four splits (56.3 days). The yield attributing characters such as productive branches plant^-1, length of primary spike, No. of capsules spike^-1, test weight and seed yield (3020 kg ha^-1) were higher in 125 per cent RDF with five split application which was followed by 125 per cent RDF with four split application which in turn resulted in realization of higher gross returns of 123820 Rs.ha^-1, net returns of 98621 Rs.ha^-1 with benefit cost ratio of 4.91.

Key Words: Castor Hybrid, Fertilizer, Split application, Productivity.