MSc

An investigation entitled “Response of bhindi (Abelmoschus esculentus L.Moench) to
fertigation and foliar nutrition in red loam soil of Kasaragod.” was carried out at College of
Agriculture, Padannakkad and Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) farm,
Nileshwar during 2016 to 2018. The study was conducted in bhindi variety Arka Anamika.
The objective of the study was to standardize the time and site specific dose of nutrient
application in sub humid red loam soil and evaluate the effect of fertigation of major nutrients
along with foliar nutrition of micronutrients on growth, yield and fruit quality of bhindi.
The field experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (Factorial RBD) with
eight treatments and two controls and each were replicated three times. The treatments
included combinations of two fertigation intervals (T1-once in two days and T2-once in four
days) and two levels of fertigation (L1-100 per cent NPK as per KAU POP and L2- 50 per cent
NPK as per KAU POP) along with two levels of foliar application of micronutrient mixture
(S1-Micronutrient mixture at the rate of 2 per cent and S2- Micronutrient mixture at the rate of
4 per cent). The treatment combinations were compared with two controls viz., Kerala
Agricultural University (KAU) POP with conventional irrigation practices (Control 1) and
Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) ad hoc organic POP with conventional irrigation
practices (Control 2). The micronutrient mixture consisted of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B and Mo in
definite composition had been standardized for foliar application in bhindi.
The results of the experiment revealed that the growth parameters, viz., plant height,
number of leaves, number of branches and stem diameter at 30, 60 days after sowing (DAS)
and at harvest were highest in plots fertigated once in two days interval (T1). The main yield
attributes such as the number of flowers,maximum length of fruits, diameter of fruits and
fruits per plants was recorded were highest in T1 resulting in maximum fruit weight per plant
(362.98 g plant-1) and totalfruit yield (19.70 tha-1). The protein content of fruits (10.69 %),
carotenoids (2.72 mg g-1), vitamin C (23.62 mg100 g-1), total chlorophyll content of leaf (9.21
mg g-1) were also maximum, with minimum content of crude fiber (6.23 %) in fertigation
interval of two days (T1) compared to fertigation given at four days interval (T2) .
Plants receiving fertigation levels at 100 per cent NPK as per KAU POP (L1) resulted
in significantly higher growth, yield and yield attributing characters such as the number of
fruits per plant (22.85), fruit weight and total fruit yield (22.85 t ha-1) and leaf chlorophyll
content. It was also evident that fruit quality parameters such as carotenoids, vitamin C and
protein content of bhindi fruit was maximum in treatments receiving fertigation levels at 100

per cent NPK as per KAU POP (L1). This treatment recorded lower values of crude fibre
(5.91 %). Foliar application of micronutrients at 4 per cent concentration significantly
influenced yield and yield attributing characters like number of fruits per plant, length and
diameter of fruit but had no influence on vitamin C and crude fibre content.
The two way interaction effects of fertigation intervals, fertigation levels and foliar
application of micronutrients were not significant with respect to days to first flowering and
days to 50 per cent flowering. However minimum number of days to first flowering (34 days)
was noticed in L1. The combined effect of fertigation at 100 per cent NPK at two days interval
recorded maximum number of flowers per plant, fruit length, total chlorophyll, carotenoids
and vitamin C content. Considering the three way interaction between time of fertigation,
levels of fertigation and foliar application of micronutrients had no significant effect on
growth, yield attributes and quality parameters of fruits.
A comparative evaluation of treatments with the controls revealed that all growth
characters, yield attributes and quality parameters were superior in the treatment plots over
both the controls. The comparative study between two controls reported that KAU POP with
conventional irrigation practices (Control 1) was superior over KAU ad hoc organic POP with
conventional irrigation practices (Control 2).
The effect of treatments on leaf nutrient concentration at harvest was studied, the
results showed that N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B and Mo content were found to be
significant in treatments receiving fertigation at two days interval (T1), fertigation levels of
100 per cent NPK and foliar application of micronutrient. Similarly, soil nutrient availability
at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest revealed that available nutrient status of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe,
Mn, Zn, Cu, B and Mo status at all the stages of crop showed significant difference among the
treatments. The optimum fertigation level and interval (fertigation of 100 per cent NPK as per
KAU POP at two day interval) recorded maximum nutrient content in soil. Highest available
nutrients during the cropping period as well at harvest were recorded in treatments as
compared to controls, whereas comparison between control 1 and control 2, showed that
control 1(KAU POP) registered maximum values of available nutrients in soil.
The finding of the present investigation revealed that current nutrient recommendation
of KAU POP through fertigation has doubled the yield, when compared with the reported
values of state averages of productivity (9.74 t ha-1). The fruit nutritional quality
improvements were also noticed.