Journal Journal

of Applied
Appl Journal of Applied Horticulture, 22(1): 67-70, 2020 Horticulture
DOI: 10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.13 ISSN: 0972-1045

Effect of fertigation and drip irrigation on yield and quality of

watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai]

S.K. Nisha*, I. Sreelathakumary and S. Vijeth

Department of Olericulture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani 695 522, Kerala, India. *Email:[email protected]

Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of different levels of fertigation and drip irrigation on yield and quality of
watermelon. Fertigation treatments were 75, 100 and 125 % recommended dose of fertilizer (RD). Irrigation treatments were 0.6 and
0.8 evapotranspiration (ET) rates. One control was taken with surface irrigation and conventional soil application of fertilizers. Levels
of fertigation and irrigation exerted significant influence on number of fruits plant-1 and yield plant-1. Total yield was highest at 100
% RD (91.1 t ha-1) compared to 125 % RD (80.13 t ha-1). Fertigation at 100 % RD recorded highest number of fruits which was on
par with 125 % RD. There was increase in number of fruits plant-1 and fruit yield with increase in irrigation level from 0.6 to 0.8 ET.
Fertigation at 100 % RD recorded the highest yield of 8.51 kg plant-1. Fertigation and irrigation levels had no influence on fruit weight.
TSS, lycopene, ascorbic acid and sugar contents did not increase with deficit irrigation of 0.6 ET.
Key words: Citrullus lanatus, watermelon, fertigation, irrigation

Introduction Mineral nutrition is one of the important factors contributing

to watermelon yield. However, the suggested rates varied
Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] is a considerably. Goreta et al. (2005) found that total and marketable
popular fruit of the family Cucurbitaceae, cultivated all over the yields did not increase with nitrogen rates above 115 kg ha-1.
world. In India, it is grown in an area of 1.01 lakh hectare with Increased use of fertilizer led to rise in yield and dry weight
a production of 25.2 lakh tonnes (GOI, 2018). Watermelon is a of watermelon fruits (Hendericks et al., 2007) but stronger
rich source of lycopene and citrulline. It contains more than 91 % infestation of gummy stem blight and downy mildew was
water and therefore, water supply during critical stages of plant observed with increased nitrogen fertigation (Santos et al., 2009).
growth and fruit development is very important. Water availability
for irrigation will be a major constraint for agriculture in coming Generally, in watermelon deficit irrigation (Leskovar et al., 2004)
years. So strategies to reduce water loss are the need of the hour. and various levels of fertilizers supplied through fertigation had
Use of micro irrigation facilities like drip system can play a no influence on fruit quality like lycopene and vitamin C (Andrade
major role towards this end. In drip irrigation, water is delivered Junior et al., 2009; Prabhakar et al., 2013). But Wakindiki and
near the plant root zone in a precise quantity so as to maintain Kirambia (2011) reported decrease in soluble solids with increase
soil moisture content close to field capacity. Drip irrigation also in irrigation. Marketable yield decreased linearly in response to
increases the uptake of plant nutrients and water use efficiency. an increase in water stress (Simsek et al., 2004; Fernandes et
al., 2014).
Fertigation is the process of applying fertilizer along with
irrigation. It allows placement of nutrients directly into root zone In Kerala, watermelon is cultivated only in a very limited
through emitters during critical periods of nutrient requirement. area of 100 ha (GOI, 2018), even though the demand for the
Fertigation allows an accurate and uniform application of nutrients fruit is very high. Being a high value crop, its exploitation on
to the wetted area where most active roots are concentrated. commercial scale can generate handsome income to farmers.
Fertigation can improve nutrient use efficiency by supplying Generally watermelon is cultivated using surface irrigation with
nutrients and water precisely avoiding excess concentrations of soil application of fertilizers. For crops like cucumber, cowpea,
fertilizer in the soil and consequent leaching (Bar-Yosef, 1999). bittergourd, tomato etc. adoption of fertigation is more and often
The nutrient use efficiency of fertigation is about 90 per cent overuse of fertilizers is seen. The effect of irrigation strategies
compared to that of conventional methods, where it is only 40- and interaction with fertigation rates is not well investigated in
60 per cent. Drip fertigation is highly profitable as it saves input, watermelon under sandy clay loam soils of southern Kerala. This
labour and energy to about 54 per cent than that of conventional study was performed to explore the effects of different fertigation
and drip irrigation levels on yield and quality of watermelon.
methods. The application efficiency of water and nutrients is
improved by drip fertigation. At the same time marketable yield
is maintained or improved (Monaghan et al., 2010). Under water
Materials and methods
scarce conditions, fertigation is considered as the most effective The field experiment was conducted at the research field of
tool for managing nutrients and irrigation water. Department of Olericulture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani,
Journal of Applied Horticulture (www.horticultureresearch.net)
68 Effect of fertigation and drip irrigation on yield and quality of watermelon

Kerala Agricultural University during 2015-2016. The number of fruits plant-1. Fertigation at 100 % RD recorded highest
site was located at 08o 25`53.7`` N and 76o 59`15.8`` E number (4.13) which was on par with 125 % RD (3.76). Among the
at an altitude of 29 m above mean sea level. Mechanical irrigation treatments, 0.8 ET registered the highest number of fruits
composition and moisture characteristics of the soil plant-1. Fruit weight was not influenced by different treatments. Levels
are provided in Table 1. The treatments were factorial of fertigation and irrigation exerted significant influence on yield
combinations of three fertigation levels (75 %, 100 % and plant-1. Fertigation at 100 % RD recorded the highest yield (8.51 kg
125 % recommended dose (RD) of 70:50:120 NPK ha-1) per plant) followed by 75 % RD (7.55 kg) which was on par with
and two irrigation levels (0.6 and 0.8 evapotranspiration 125 % RD (7.52 kg). Fertigation at 100 % RD significantly increased
(ET) rates) arranged in randomized block design with three number of fruits plant-1, yield plant-1 and yield hectare-1. Nitrogen
replications and control with surface irrigation and normal promotes vegetative growth and P stimulates root development. Better
soil application of fertilizer. The watermelon hybrid Prachi, vegetative growth leads to enhanced chlorophyll content along with
with mini sized fruit, identified as the best watermelon higher stomatal conductance and thereby increased photosynthesis.
hybrid suitable for south Kerala condition (Nisha and Moreover, sufficient availability of K might have encouraged increased
Sreelathakumary, 2017) was used. transport of photosynthates to the sink leading to higher yield (Maluki
Table 1. Physical composition and moisture characteristics of the et al., 2016). Under open condition, fruit weight was not influenced
soil by fertilizer dose. Similar result was reported by Andrade Junior et al.
Particulars Value (2009), where fruit yield was more influenced by number of fruits than
A. Mechanical composition fruit weight. The yield attributes like fruit weight, fruits plant-1 and yield
Coarse sand (%) 16.30 plant-1 were decreased at the highest fertilizer level (125 % RD) tried.
Fine sand (%) 30.50 This might be attributed to early fruit set in lower nodes which resulted
Silt (%) 25.80 in competition between the fruit and vegetative parts during early fruit
Clay (%) 26.10 development. Moreover early formed fruits also recorded reduced fruit
Textural class Sandy clay loam weight (Watanabe, 2014). Increased concentration of soluble fertilizers
B. Soil moisture characteristics increases the osmotic potential of soil solution, causing reduction in
Particle density (g cc-1) 2.30 water uptake by the plant roots (Maluki et al., 2016). The application
Bulk density (g cc-1) 1.40 of fertilizer through drip was found superior to conventional solid
Maximum water holding capacity (%) 23.70 Table 2. Effect of fertigation and drip irrigation on yield of watermelon
Porosity (%) 31.10
Treatments Fruits Fruit weight Yield plant-1 Yield
Field capacity (%) 21.90 plant-1 (kg) (kg) (t ha-1)
Permanent wilting point (%) 9.10
Fertigation
The experimental area was deeply ploughed up to 50 cm 75 %RD 3.59 2.17 7.55 80.41
and weeds and stubbles were removed. Farm yard manure 100 %RD 4.13 2.24 8.51 91.10
@ 25 t ha-1 was applied before last ploughing. Raised 125 %RD 3.76 2.11 7.52 80.13
beds of one meter width and one foot height were taken SE(m)± 0.126 0.097 0.056 2.554
with channels of 50 cm between beds; so that the row to CD at 5 % 0.393 NS 0.715 7.947
row spacing was 1.5 m. Drip lines were laid with a lateral Irrigation level
per bed and drippers with a discharge rate of 2 L hour-1 0.6 ET 3.60 2.06 7.28 77.49
spaced every 60 cm. The beds were covered with silver 0.8 ET 4.06 2.28 8.42 90.25
on black polyethylene mulch of 50 μ thickness. Seedlings SE(m)± 0.101 0.083 0.187 2.085
were raised in protrays using cocopeat and vermicompost CD at 5 % 0.315 NS 0.582 6.489
as media. Twelve days old seedlings at 2-3 true leaf stage Control 3.71 1.51 5.12 52.76
were transplanted to main field at 60 cm spacing. Uniform NS-Non significant
irrigation was given to the seedlings up to one week after
Table 3. Effect of fertigation and drip irrigation on quality of watermelon
transplanting. Irrigation scheduling was started from first
Treatments TSS Lycopene Ascorbic Reducing Non
week onwards. Drip irrigation was scheduled daily to meet (ºBrix) (mg 100 g-1) acid sugar reducing
the crop water requirement based on the pan evaporation (mg 100g-1) (%) sugar (%)
data of previous day from Class A open pan evaporimeter Fertigation
near the trial plot. Total irrigation applied was 184.02 mm, 75 %RD 12.62 6.32 3.85 3.07 3.88
239.79 mm and 330.86 mm for 0.6 ET, 0.8 ET and control 100 %RD 13.01 6.37 3.95 3.07 3.91
respectively. Fertigation was done at three days interval 125 %RD 12.53 6.36 4.05 3.09 3.90
using fertigation pump. The data was analysed statistically SE(m)± 0.230 0.006 0.147 0.460 0.018
by applying the techniques of analysis of variance (Panse CD at 5 % NS NS NS NS NS
and Sukhatme, 1985). Irrigation level
0.6 ET 12.81 6.28 3.75 3.06 3.87
0.8 ET 12.62 6.43 4.15 3.10 3.91
Results and discussion SE(m)± 0.189 0.007 0.118 0.039 0.013
The effects of different levels of fertigation and drip irrigation CD at 5 % NS NS NS NS NS
on yield and quality characters are presented in Tables 2 and Control 12.61 6.32 3.80 3.05 3.90
3. There was significant difference among treatments for NS-Non significant

Journal of Applied Horticulture (www.horticultureresearch.net)

 Effect of fertigation and drip irrigation on yield and quality of watermelon 69

fertilizer application (Choudhari and More, 2002; Sharma et al., References

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