Effect of irrigation frequencies on nutrient uptake, growth and yield of pomegranate (Punica granatum) grown on heavy textured soils of semi-arid region

Abstract

This study evaluates the influence of different irrigation frequencies on the nutrient uptake, growth and yield performance of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa. The experiment was conducted during 2010–13 at National Research Centre on Pomegranate, Solapur, Maharashtra, India. The treatments were consisted of replenishment of irrigation on every day and cumulative irrigation after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days interval. The results revealed that, increase in irrigation interval increased moisture spread in horizontal as well as vertical direction. Horizontal and vertical moisture spread was restricted up to 40 and 60 cm, respectively, in daily irrigation and 40 and 75 cm, respectively at 1 day irrigation interval treatment. Maximum leaf content of N (2.09%) and K (0.93%) was found in irrigation interval at 2 days while P (0.164%) at 3 days irrigation interval treatment. Higher nutrient uptake at 2 and 3 days irrigation interval resulted in attaining significantly higher vegetative growth of the plants. However, scheduling of irrigation frequency did not show effect on growth of the plants during pre-bearing period. Lowest leaf temperature (98.5o F) and highest leaf chlorophyll content (59.61) was recorded in 1 day irrigation interval treatment. Highest fruit yield (4.32 t/ha) was obtained in 2 days irrigation interval treatment. Application of irrigation at 4 and 5 days interval resulted in drastic reduction in fruit yield, which also had very high fruit cracking (11.6 and 15.5%, respectively).