Interna tional Jo urna l o f Adva nced Bio chemistry Research 20 24 ; SP-8 (10 ): 122 0 -1225

ISSN Print: 2617-4693

ISSN Online: 2617-4707
IJABR 2024; SP-8(10): 1220-1225
Response of chilli crop to NPK fertigation and PDKV
www.biochemjournal.com
Received: 05-07-2024
grade ii micronutrients on growth and yield
Accepted: 12-08-2024

MK Fate MK Fate, DV Sonkamble, PS Wankhede and AN Mankar

Department of Irrigation and
Drainage Engineering, Dr.
Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2024.v8.i10So.2689
Vidyapeeth, Akola,
Maharashtra, India Abstract
The field experiment was conducted to study the “Response of Chilli Crop to NPK Fertigation and
DV Sonkamble PDKV Grade II Micronutrients” at Chilli and Vegetable Research Unit, Dr. PDKV, Akola, during Rabi
Department of Irrigation and season of 2023, which comes under Western Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra. The experiment
Drainage Engineering, Dr. comprising of twelve treatment combinations replicated three times, laid out in factorial randomized
Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi block design with three levels of fertigation (75%, 100%, 125% RDF) and four levels foliar doses of
Vidyapeeth, Akola, PDKV micro-Grade II (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10 ml/L). Plant height, number of branches, stem girth and plant
Maharashtra, India spread area was recorded significantly maximum in T11 (125% RDF + 7.5 ml/L) treatment. The earliest
flowering was recorded significantly maximum inT11 (125% RDF + 7.5 ml/L) at par T7 (100% RDF +
PS Wankhede
7.5 ml/L) while days required for 50% flowering and days required for first picking was recorded
Department of Irrigation and
Drainage Engineering,
significantly in T11.Fruit yield per hectare (24.10 t) was recorded significantly maximum in T11. The
Mahatma Phule Krishi maximum net return with higher B:C ratio (1.76) was obtained in treatment combination T11 followed
Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, by T12. From the study, it was concluded that treatment combination T7 was best and can be
Maharashtra, India recommended for maximum chilli production in Western Vidarbha region.

AN Mankar Keywords: Fertigation splits, fertilizer levels, chilli, drip fertigation, B:C ratio
Department of Irrigation and
Drainage Engineering, Dr. Introduction
Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi
Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.), a member of Solanaceae family, is an important spice crop in
Vidyapeeth, Akola,
Maharashtra, India India. The states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and
Maharashtra, account for 3/4 of the total area. The green chilli is grown in 4.05 lakh hectares
with the production of 42.72 lakh tonnes. The productivity of green chilli is approximately
10.54 t ha-1 in India, which is low (Anonymous, 2022). The fruits of chilli are rich in
vitamin A, C and minerals. Fresh green and ripe chilli are used to make pickles, sauces and
paste. The essential oil, oleoresin is used in the food and beverage industries.
Water is a major component for sustainable development of crop and an indispensable
resource which needs careful handling and proper management in order to achieve maximum
yield and better water use efficiency (Sahana & Sugirtharan, 2021) [15]. Although, it is one of
the major crops grown, its yield is quite low. Increase in chilli production can be achieved
either bringing more area under its cultivation or by adopting improved varieties and better
cultural practices. The second approach is more often preferred and among various cultural
practices, proper fertilizer application is one of the quickest and easiest ways of increasing
the yield per unit area (Priya, Chinnusamy, Karthikeyan, & Kuttimani, 2017) [14], (Nair,
Hebbar, & Senthilkumar, 2023) [13]. Foliar fertilizers immediately deliver nutrients to the
tissues and their organ of the crop. According to (Khan, et al., 2022) micronutrients boost
photosynthetic and metabolic activity, which increases plant metabolites that promote cell
division and elongation, improving growth. The shortage of boron affects cell development,
sugar production, and translocation, slowing apical expansion. Boron helps flowering,
fruiting, metabolism, hormonal action, and cell division. The formation of chlorophyll and
Corresponding Author: enzymes relies heavily on iron.
MK Fate PDKV Grade II micronutrients contain Zinc (4.0%), Iron (2.0%), Manganese (1.0%), Copper
Department of Irrigation and (0.5%), Boron (0.5%), Molybdenum (0.05%). Source of nutrient or micronutrients through
Drainage Engineering, Dr. fertigation or foliar spray is also a major contributing factor in yield increase and in the
Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi economics of production. Hence the present was conducted to study the “Response of Chilli
Vidyapeeth, Akola,
Maharashtra, India Crop to NPK Fertigation and PDKV Grade II Micronutrients on growth and yield”.

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2. Materials and Methods treatment combinations across 36 plots, with a gross plot
The experiment was conducted at the Chilli and Vegetable size of 2.25 m × 6.0 m and a net plot size of 1.5 m × 5.40 m.
Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Spacing between plants was 75 cm × 60 cm, with a
Akola, during the Rabi season of 2022-23. Akola, located at population of 30 plants per plot. The crop was planted on a
20°40' N latitude and 77°02' E longitude, with an altitude of single ridge bed with polyethylene mulch, with transplanting
307.415 m above MSL, has a subtropical semi-arid climate done on 12 January 2023. Manual weeding was performed
with an average annual rainfall of 760 mm, mostly received every 20 days, and specific insecticides and pesticides were
between June and September. The region experiences hot applied for plant protection.
summers, a rainy monsoon, and mild winters. The
experimental soil was clay loam (pH 7.74 and electrical 2.2 Treatment Details: The recommended fertilizer dose of
conductivity 4.43 dSm-1) characterized by medium organic 200:100:100 kg N:P:K ha⁻¹ was applied via drip fertigation
carbon (0.64%), low available N (165.92 kg ha-1), high in 10 equal splits at 10-day intervals using urea and a
available P (8.72 kg ha-1) and medium available K (273.85 19:19:19 water-soluble fertilizer. Foliar application of
kg ha-1). The soil has available water holding capacity of PDKV Grade II micronutrients was administered at varying
130 mm in one-meter soil depth. concentrations (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 ml/l) using a knapsack
sprayer, starting 30 days after transplanting and repeated at
2.1 Experimental Design: The crop variety used was the F1 20-day intervals until 150 days. The treatment details and
hybrid Teja, with trial was laid out in Factorial Randomized quantity of different fertilizers applied have been presented
Block Design (FRBD) with three replications and twelve in Table 1.

Table 1: Treatment Combination with NPK fertigation and foliar doses of PDKV Grade II micronutrients
T1 F1M1 (75% RDF-150:75:75 NPK Kg ha-1 + 2.5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T2 F1M2 (75% RDF-150:75:75 NPK Kg ha-1 + 5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T3 F1M3 (75% RDF-150:75:75 NPK Kg ha-1 + 7.5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T4 F1M4 (75% RDF-150:75:75 NPK Kg ha-1 + 10 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T5 F2M1 (100% RDF- 200:100:100 NPK Kg ha-1 + 2.5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T6 F2M2 (100% RDF- 200:100:100 NPK Kg ha-1 + 5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T7 F2M3 (100% RDF- 200:100:100 NPK Kg ha-1 + 7.5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T8 F2M4 (100% RDF- 200:100:100 NPK Kg ha-1 + 10 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T9 F3M1 (125% RDF-250:125:125 NPK Kg ha-1 + 2.5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T10 F3M2 (125% RDF-250:125:125 NPK Kg ha-1 + 5 ml /L PDKV grade II)
T11 F3M3 (125% RDF-250:125:125 NPK Kg ha-1 + 7.5 ml/L PDKV grade II)
T12 F3M4 (125% RDF-250:125:125 NPK Kg ha-1 + 10 ml/L PDKV grade II)

2.3 Irrigation Scheduling recorded in tonnes, with eight chilli harvests conducted
Irrigation was provided as needed to maintain soil moisture. between March 4, 2023, and June 24, 2023.
Initial irrigations were given continuously for ten days,
followed by a three-day interval schedule based on 2.5 Statistical Design: The data collected for various
climatological data. The irrigation amount was calculated parameters were statistically analyzed using a Factorial
using the formula: Randomized Block Design. The significance of treatment
means was evaluated by calculating the critical difference at
WRc = CPE × Kp × Kc × Wp × A a 5% level of significance.

Where WRc is the water requirement (liters/plant), CPE is 3. Results and Discussion
the cumulative pan evaporation (mm), Kp is the pan factor 3.1 Interaction effect of NPK Fertigation and PDKV
(0.7), Kc is the crop factor, Wp is the wetted fraction (0.7), Grade II micronutrients on plant growth parameter
and A is the area per plant (m²). The drip system had a The interaction between fertilizer levels and foliar
discharge rate of 2 lph at 50.66 kPa pressure. application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients had a
synergistic effect on chilli plant growth and flowering. The
2.4 Recorded Data combination of F3 (125% of the recommended NPK dose)
2.4.1 Plant Growth Parameter: Biometric data were and M3 (7.5 ml/L) i.e.T11, resulted in the highest plant
collected from five tagged plants per treatment, recording height (Fig. 1), number of branches (Fig. 2), stem girth (Fig.
growth parameters such as plant height, branches, spread 3), and plant spread area (Fig. 4), while also promoting
area, stem girth at at harvest. The number of days to first earlier flowering (Tables 2 & 3, Figure 5 & 6). This
flowering was recorded by observing each plot daily from indicates that optimal nutrient application, both through soil
the month after sowing across different treatments. and foliar methods, enhances vegetative growth and
Similarly, the days required for 50% flowering were accelerates reproductive stages, highlighting the importance
counted from the sowing date until 50% of the plants in of integrated nutrient management for improved crop
each plot had flowered. performance. Similar result are finding with (Ahmed &
Abdelkader, 2020) [1], (Fidiyawati, Setyorini, Sa’adah,
2.4.2 Yield Component: The yield per hectare was Prayitno, & Istiqomah, 2021) [5].

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Table 2: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on plant height, number
of branches, stem girth, plant spread area at harvest
Plant height Number of branches Stem girth Plant spread area
Treatment
(cm) Nos (cm) (cm2)
2.5 74.16 7.95 1.86 2146.7
5.0 77.41 7.97 1.89 2402.9
75
7.5 80.16 8.41 1.99 2587
10 78.53 8.88 1.92 2604.8
2.5 79.00 9.06 2.13 2705.5
5.0 86.06 9.32 2.28 2655.7
100
7.5 90.82 10.73 2.49 2802.2
10 84.14 9.66 2.44 2548.4
2.5 83.91 9.18 2.36 2867.1
5.0 83.75 10.10 2.59 3151.1
125
7.5 99.04 11.00 2.89 3791.4
10 97.92 10.85 2.75 3531.2
CD at 5% 4.80 0.75 0.15 325.64

3.2 Interaction effect of NPK Fertigation and PDKV performance of lower NPK levels and untreated plants,
Grade II micronutrients on yield demonstrating the synergistic benefits of using both
The combined application of higher NPK fertigation levels practices to enhance chilli production. These findings are
(F3) along with PDKV Grade II micronutrients (M3), as in consistent with results reported by (Dongre, Mahorkar,
treatment T11, significantly boosted chilli yield. Treatment Joshi, & Deo, 2000) [4], (Jadhav, Padhiar, & Dekhane, 2016)
[7]
T12 also performed at par similarly, as shown in Table 3 and , (Ahmed & Abdelkader, 2020) [1].
Figure 7. This combination consistently surpassed the

Table 3: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on 1st flowering, 50%
flowering and 1st picking.
1st flowering 50 % flowering Fruit yield per hectare
Treatment
(Days) (Days) (t)
2.5 49.7 53.03 17.28
5.0 47.24 53.7 18.17
75
7.5 46.22 48.27 18.69
10 44.71 49.50 18.63
2.5 46.70 53.13 19.48
5.0 45.38 49.33 19.71
100
7.5 42.72 47.33 20.62
10 44.33 48.17 20.31
2.5 44.39 50.05 21.35
5.0 44.18 48.33 22.36
125
7.5 41.21 47.10 24.1
10 43.15 47.23 23.23
CD at 5% 1.63 1.71 1.83

Fig 1: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on plant height

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Fig 2: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on number of branches

Fig 3: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on stem girth

Fig 4: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on plant spread area

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Fig 5: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on days required for 1st
flowering

Fig 6: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on days required for 50 %
flowering

Fig 7: Interaction effect of different levels of fertigation and foliar application of PDKV Grade II micronutrients on yield per hectare

Conclusion PDKV Grade II micronutrients (7.5 ml/L) significantly

The study highlights that combining higher NPK fertigation improves chilli growth, flowering, and yield. This integrated
(125% of the recommended dose) with foliar application of nutrient management approach is recommended to
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maximize productivity and optimize nutrient use efficiency 16. Sugiyanta S, Kartika JG. Increasing production of chilli
in chilli cultivation. (Capsicum annuum L.) through foliar fertilizer
application. J Trop Crop Sci. 2018;5:34-40.
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