Effect of drip vis-à-vis surface irrigation on fruit yield, water use and distribution efficiency of banana in Gangetic plain of West Bengal

Abstract

A field study was conducted during 2008-2009 to 2009-2010 in the Gangetic Plain of West Bengal to assess three drip irrigation schedules at 50, 60 and 70% of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) and three drip fertigation schedules at 50, 60 and 80% of recommended NPK fertilizers with inclusion of conventional surface irrigation on banana cv. Martaman (AAB, Silk). The experiment was laid out in augmented factorial complete block design with three replications. The coefficient of variation of the emitter discharge used in drip irrigation system was 0.062 and 0.088 in 2008-09 and 2009-10, respectively. The experimental results showed that there was considerable improvement in plant height, pseudostem girth, leaf area, leaf area index and leaf number with drip irrigation at 70% of CPE compared to conventional surface irrigation. Maximum fruit yield and water use efficiency (WUE) in main and ratoon crop was obtained with drip irrigation at 60% CPE with 80% of recommended NPK fertilizers. WUE of crops increased progressively with concomitant increase in the levels of drip fertigation. Drip irrigation, as a whole, registered the higher fruit yield and WUE with savings of 38.3 to 41.5% of water compared to surface irrigation. Seasonal moisture distribution efficiency in soil towards horizontal and vertical directions through drip system was uniform and relatively much higher than the surface irrigation system.