Effect of Different Levels of Irrigation and Nutrient Management Practices on the Performance of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

Abstract

To study the effect of different levels of irrigation and nutrient management practices on yield and water use efficiency of tomato (cv. Utkal Kumari) a field experiment, with three irrigation schedules and four nutrient management practices, was conducted in the Regional Research Technology and Transfer Station (RRTTS),Chiplima, Sam­balpur for three years. Three years pooled mean of tomato fruit yield indicated that highest fruit yield of 18.48 t ha-1 was observed with IW:CPE of 1.2 irrespective of different nutrient management practices. Highest pooled mean fruit yield of 19.07 t ha-1 was recorded with application of 25% organic+75% inorganic which was signifi­cantly superior to 50% organic+50% inorganic (18.26 t ha-1), 100% organic (16.01 t ha-1) and 100% inorganic (17.21 t ha-1) irrespective of different irrigation levels. Highest mean water use efficiencies of 533.45 kg ha-1 cm-1 and 469.47 kg ha-1 cm-1 were observed with IW:CPE of 0.8 and application of 25% organic+75% inorganic fertilizer respectively. Among the irrigation treatments highest net return (` 56,136/-) and benefit-cost ratio (2.03) were observed with 1.2 IW:CPE, whereas the highest net return (` 61,560/-) and benefit-cost ratio (2.16) were observed with 25% organic+75% inorganic fertilzer . Thus, integrated use of 25% organic along with 75% inorganic fertilizer as per recommended dose of nutrient with an irrigation scheduling at 1.2 IW:CPE produced highest fruit yield of tomato as compared to other treatments. The fruit yield per hectare was significantly correlated to all other yield attributing parameters except days to first harvest.