Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during kharif 2008-2009 and summer 2009-2010 to study the effect of drip fertigation on growth, yield and quality of maize. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications. The treatments tried were two irrigation methods (drip irrigation and surface irrigation), three fertilizer levels viz., 75, 100 and 125 percent and three fertilizer combinations viz., fully water soluble fertilizers with 100 percent P as basal, 50 percent commercial fertilizers and 50 percent water soluble fertilizers with 50 percent P and K as basal, and fully water soluble fertilizers. Drip irrigation was scheduled at 100 % PE once in three days and fertigation was given once in six days as per the treatment schedule. Surface irrigation was scheduled at 0.8 IW/CPE ratio with 5 cm depth of irrigation with recommended dose of fertilizers. Drip fertigated maize exhibited better plant height and dry matter production in drip fertigation with 125 per cent RDF as water soluble fertilizer. The yield attributes viz., cob length, cob girth and cob weight was higher in drip fertigation of 125 per cent RDF as water soluble fertilizer. As a consequence of better growth, drip fertigation of 125 per cent RDF as water soluble fertilizer recorded higher yield of hybrid maize. In addition to better crop growth, higher yield attributes and substantial quantity of water saving (23 per cent) indicated the feasibility of drip fertigation for higher productivity and sustainable yield from maize.

Keywords: Drip fertigation, water soluble fertilizers, yield, quality, hybrid maize