Plant water relations, yield and nutrient content of passion fruit in relation to evaporation replenishment and fertigation

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out to study the response of passion fruit to irrigation and fertigation levels. Fruit number and yield (22.85 kg/pl) were higher with 50% evaporation replenishment rate (ER) as compared to 25% ER (18.84 kg/pl). The yield differences between 50, 75 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) was not significant (19.68 - 21.68 kg/pl). The response surface models fitted to the yield data indicated an optimum ER of 40 % and RDF 55%. The relative water content and leaf nutrient content was higher with 50% ER and the leaf water potentials recorded lower values with 50% ER. The total water use was 282.5 and 564 mm with 25 and 50% ER and the water use efficiency was 40 and 66 kg/ha-mm. The leaf nutrient content (N, P, K, Ca & Mg) were higher with 50% ER and 100% RDF.