Dry Matter Production and Nutrient Uptake of Coloured Capsicum Hybrids (Capsicum annuum var. grossum L.) as Influenced by Different Irrigation Levels under Shade Net

Aim: The experiment was aimed at evaluating the influence of different irrigation levels on dry matter production and nutrient uptake of coloured capsicum hybrids.

Study Design: Split plot design with three replications

Place and Duration of Study: Horticultural farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during rabi 2018-19.

Methodology: The experiment was laid out in split plot design and the treatments comprises of four irrigation levels viz., drip irrigation at 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 Epan as main treatments and three hybrids viz., Indra (green), Orobelle (yellow), Bomby (red) as sub treatments and replicated thrice. The recommended dose of nutrients were 100:80:60 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 and entire dose of P2O5 was applied as basal, N and K2O was applied through venturi meter as fertigation on three days interval from 9 to 153 DAT. The crop was transplanted at 45 cm × 40 cm spacing in September under a green shade net. Irrigation scheduling was done based on daily evaporation data recorded from USWB class ‘A’ pan evaporimeter. The cumulative daily evaporation during crop growth period was 737.5 mm. Quantity of water applied including special operations of 26 mm and effective rainfall during crop growth period were 245.3, 392.0, 546.5 and 698.5 mm and 58.6, 64.2, 74.6, 82.6 mm out of 127.4 mm of rainfall for 100, 80, 60 and 40 per cent irrigation treatments, respectively as per water balance method. Bed size was 7.6 m × 0.9 m.

Results: Significantly higher yield (47.50 t ha-1) was recorded with drip irrigation at 1.0 Epan than rest of the treatments. Indra recorded significantly higher yield (40.27 t ha-1) than other two hybrids. The interaction effect between drip irrigation levels and hybrids was not significant on Dry Matter Production and N, P & K uptakes and economics of capsicum. DMP and nutrient uptake were significantly higher with drip irrigation at 1.0 Epan than 0.8, 0.6 and 0.4 Epan throughout the crop growth over other drip irrigation levels. Among hybrids, Indra recorded significantly higher DMP and nutrient uptake than other two hybrids.