Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at central farm, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, during late season of 2008 to study the performance of subsurface drip fertigation on yield attributes, yield, water saving and water use efficiency of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). The treatments consisted of lateral spacing and method of planting viz., 120, 135, 150, 165 and 180 cm as Single Side planting (SSP) and Double Side Planting (DSP) under subsurface drip fertigation (SSDF). The yield attributes like number of millable canes, internodes, cane length, girth and individual cane weight were significantly higher under subsurface drip fertigation with DSP. Higher cane and sugar yield of 180 t ha-1 and 18.63 t ha-1 were registered in 120 cm lateral spacing as DSP and this was on par with 180 cm lateral spacing with DSP under subsurface drip fertigation. Subsurface drip irrigation helped to save water up to 34.84 per cent and increased water use efficiency up to 161.40 kg ha-1 mm-1.

Keywords: Subsurface drip fertigation, yield, water saving and water use efficiency