Effect of drip-fertigation on performance of tomato under Assam conditions

Abstract

A study was carried out to find out the effect of fertigation level of N & K through drip irrigation on growth, marketable yield, fruit quality and economics in semi-determinate tomato cultivar Arka Abha. Results indicated that plant height, branch number, fruit setting percentage, fruit number per plant, individual fruit weight and marketable yield were maximum with cent per cent fertigation of recommended dose of N & K at the rate of 75:60 kg/ha. Regarding the quality parameters, fruit length, fruit girth, percentage of placenta, edible portion, juice percentage, total soluble solid and ascorbic acid were highest similarly in cent per cent fertigation level, whereas the highest titrable acidity was recorded by fifty per cent fertigation level. Study on fertigation efficiency and economics of cultivation revealed that fertigation with cent per cent recommended dose of N & K was the most efficient treatment with fertigation efficiency of 43.24% and cost: benefit ratio of 1:2.28. It is concluded that drip fulfillment at 100% evaporation replenishment throughout the crop season with cent per cent supplementation of recommended dose of N&K (75:60 kg /ha) through emitters of 2 l/h discharge rate with emission uniformity of 89- 91% corresponding to 27 drip cycle with the last drip coinciding at 15 days before harvest was found to be optimum for profitable cultivation of tomato with optimum quality and economic return.