Abstract:
The study “Impact of fertigation and drip system layout on performance of
Chilli (Capsicum annum)” was taken up with the objective of determining the effect of
fertigation, drip system layout and different levels of irrigation for chilli under plastic
mulch. Different fertigation equipments like ventury injector, dosmatic fertigation unit
and fertilizer tank were tested to study the hydraulic performance of the system.
Ventury injector for fertilizer application was found to have high suction rate in
comparison with dosmatic fertigation unit. The suction rate and motive flow rate was
found to vary directly with respect to the pressure drop between the inlet and outlet of
the fertigation equipment. Ventury injector can be used only if the discharge rate is
above 14.6 L/min. Dosmatic fertigatrion unit and fertilizer tank can be used if the
discharge rate is above 1.1 L/min and 6.6 L/min. The moisture distribution pattern
under different drip field layout was observed. The moisture content near to the plant
base was found to be high and decreases as the distance from the emitters increased.
The effect of different irrigation levels and drip system layout under plastic mulch on
the performance of Chilli (Capsicum annum), Ujwala variety was also studied. The
number of branches, stem girth and yield showed significant difference between the
treatments. The yield showed significant difference with different levels of irrigation
and drip system layout. Maximum yield of 18.32 t/ha was observed for the treatment T 5.
The treatments T 6 (17.952 t/ha) was on par with the treatment T 5 . The benefit cost ratio
for treatment T 5 , 85 per cent of the irrigation requirement with one lateral for each row
of crop was 3.8 and treatment T 6, 85 per cent of the irrigation requirement with one
lateral in between two rows of crop was 3.9. Even though the yield for the treatment T 5
was high, the benefit cost ratio stands high for treatment T 6 . The high value of benefit
cost ratio for treatment T 6 was due to the reduction in the quantity of material for drip
irrigation system
