Effect of fertigation on nutrient uptake on anthurium

Abstract

An investigation was carried out in the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat under agro-shade net house during 2007-2008, to study the nutrient uptake by anthurium plants under fertigated condition. The experiment was conducted in Strip Plot Design with four replications. The treatments consisted of four levels of fertigation, viz., 100% (F1), 75% (F2) and 50% (F3) fertilizer dose of N & K (200 kg N/ha & 250 kg K/ha) through drip and 100% (F0) fertilizer dose of N & K (200 kg N/ha & 250 kg K/ha) as broadcasted with two varieties, viz., Fire (V1) and Carnival (V2). Among the fertigation levels, F1 resulted in highest N (0.86, 2.29) g/ m2, P (0.136, 0.251) g/m2 and K (1.58, 3.11) g/m2 uptake, whereas F2 recorded in highest Ca uptake (0.83, 2.28) g/m2 by plants in vegetative and blooming stages respectively. Similarly, highest dry matter production (18.95 and 26.76) g/pl by plants in both stages and flower (13.97g/pl) was revealed in F1 levels and was significantly superior to other levels. N, P, K and Ca uptake in flower (0.85, 0.111, 1.14 and 0.59 g/m2) was also significantly highest in F1 level. Among the interactions, F1V2 showed the highest P uptake (0.255 g/m2) in plants and N, P, K, Ca uptake (1.07, 0.126, 1.31 and 0.71 g/m2, respectively) in flowers, whereas the highest dry matter production (16.3 g) was exhibited by F1V1 available N, P2O5 and K2O in the growing media was recorded highest in F1 level. Among the treatment combinations, F1V1 resulted in high N content (0.063 g/100 g) whereas F1V2 resulted in highest P2O5 content (0.0079 g/100 g) and K2O content (0.24 g/100 g) of the growing media.