Study on the effect of different irrigation and fertilizer application methods on yield and water use efficiency in sugarcane Thenmozhi S1, Thiyagarajan G2*, Natarajan SK3, Manikandan M4, Bhuvaneswari J5 1ICAR – Krishi Vigyan Kendra, TNAU, Pongalur, Tiruppur641667Tamil Nadu, India 2Forest College and Research Institute, TNAU, Mettupalayam, 641301Tamil Nadu, India 3Controllerate of Examinations, Tamil Nadu Agricultural UniversityCoimbatore641003Tamil Nadu, India 4Agricultural Research Station, TNAU, Kovilpatti628501Tamil Nadu, India 5Agricultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Killikulam, 628252Tamil Nadu, India *Email for correspondence: thiyagu@tnau.ac.in
Online Published on 20 December, 2022. Abstract Field experiment was conducted to find out the effect of surface and sub-surface methods of irrigation and the method of fertilizer application on movement of nutrients in sugarcane at Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar, Tamil Nadu. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design in plot size of 45 m2 with 2 main plot treatments viz M1 (Drip irrigation at 80% PE once in two days with 1.5 m lateral) and M2 (Sub-surface irrigation at 100% PE) and 5 sub-plot treatments viz S1 (Absolute control), S2 (Manual – band application of N, P and K fertilizers), S3 (Manual – hole placement application of N, P and K fertilizers), S4 (Application of N and K through irrigation water and P as basal) and S5 (Application of nutrients through water soluble fertilizers N, P and K), treatments replicated thrice. The results of the experiment revealed that sub-surface irrigation at 100 per cent PE with manual – hole placement application of N, P and K fertilizers was superior in enhancing the growth and yield attributes and yield of sugarcane as compared to other treatment combinations. Maximum water use efficiency was achieved in drip irrigation at 80 per cent PE once in two days with manual – hole placement application of N, P and K fertilizers. Top Keywords Irrigation, Fertilizer, Sugarcane, Yield, Water use efficiency. Top |