EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS WITH INORGANIC FERTILIZERS THROUGH FERTIGATION ON GROWTH, YIELD OF WATERMELON (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) AND SOIL FERTILITY OF THERI LAND (RED SAND DUNE) IN THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU

M. PARAMASIVAN¹*, N. SENTHIL KUMAR², T. PRABHU³, S. SURESH^4
1Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
²Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
³Department of Horticulture, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
⁴Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
* Corresponding Author : paramusoil@gmail.com

Received : 29-10-2018     Accepted : 12-11-2018     Published : 15-11-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 21       Pages : 7432 - 7435
Int J Agr Sci 10.21 (2018):7432-7435

Keywords : Watermelon, Theri land, organic amendments, inorganic fertilizers, growth and yield
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

The present investigation was carried out at Thirumaraiyur village, Sattankulam taluk, Thoothukudi district to study the effect of organic amendments with recommended dose of fertilizers on growth and yield of watermelon in Theri soil (red sand dunes) during the year 2017 and 2018. In all there were three factors as organic amendments with 6 treatment combinations for each factor, which were assigned at random in each plot with three replications. The recommended dose of fertilizers in treatments were two levels as 75 and 100 per cent. Among the three factors, the tank silt application @ 100 t ha-1 with 100 per cent recommended fertilizer as 200:100:100 kg of NPK ha-1 through fertigation at 7 days interval (T5) produced maximum number of branches (10.7), longest vine (362 cm), number of fruits plant-1 (2.56), weight of fruit (5.3 kg), fruit yield (68.22 t ha-1), gross return ( 4,09,320/ha), B:C ratio (2.45), uptake of NPK 41.64, 3.68 and 31.93 kg ha-1, respectively) compared to other treatments. Significant built up of organic carbon (0.66%), available N (253.2 kg ha-1), P (16.2 kg ha-1) and K (218.5 kg ha-1) were registered with the application of tank silt application @ 100 t ha-1 with 100 per cent recommended fertilizer as 200:100:100 kg of NPK ha-1 through fertigation at 7 days interval.

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