Response of watermelon to foliar application of different water soluble ...

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Volume 9 | Issue 2 | Dec., 2014 | 431-434 Visit us -www.researchjournal.co.in

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RESEARCH PAPER Article history : Received : 13.10.2014 Revised : 04.11.2014 Accepted : 18.11.2014

DOI : 10.15740/HAS/TAJH/9.2/431-434

Response of watermelon to foliar application of different water soluble fertilizer POONAM KUWAR1, A.G. DURGUDE, S.R. KADAM1 AND A.A. PATIL1

Members of the Research Forum Associated Authors: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, AHMEDNAGAR (M.S.) INDIA

Author for correspondence : A.G. DURGUDE Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri,

ABSTRACT : A field experiment was conducted on response of watermelon to foliar application of different water soluble fertilizer at Micronutrient Research Scheme Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry during Summer season of 2011. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with four replications. There were total six treatments, out of which four treatments of foliar application of different NPK fertilizer in which one treatment was through conventional fertilizer and other three treatments through different water soluble grades. Other two treatments viz., GRD + water spray and absolute control were included for comparison. The yield contributing characters viz., the average number of female flowers per plant, average numbers fruit/plant were found significantly higher in treatment of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P 2O 5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grade and conventional fertilizer. The fruit setting was found statistically non significant. The earliness in harvesting was observed in between the treatment of foliar application of fertilizer through water soluble grade and through conventional fertilizer was 74 to 80 days after sowing. Foliar application of 0.830 : 1.338 : 1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble fertilizer grades (15:10:15, 15:30:15, 8:12:24) significantly found increase in uptake of nutrients and fruit yield of watermelon (33.89 to 36.90 Mg ha-1) showed best to obtain higher yield along with good quality of watermelon (cv. KIRAN) followed by or through conventional fertilizers. KEY WORDS : Foliar application, Water soluble fertilizer, Yield, Quality, Watermelon

AHMEDNAGAR (M.S.) INDIA

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE : Kuwar, Poonam, Durgude, A.G., Kadam, S.R. and Patil, A.A. (2014). Response of

Email : [email protected]

watermelon to foliar application of different water soluble fertilizer. Asian J. Hort., 9(2) : 431-434.

W

atermelon Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) is one of the important fruit crop of Maharashtra state, comes under cucurbitaceae family. The crop is native of Africa and in India is widely grown in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. In Maharashtra, it is mostly grown in hot weather season under the irrigation command areas or assured sources of well water. The fruits of watermelon are good source of sugar, vitamin A, C, B1, B2 and B6. Besides, it has important use in medicinal preceding unani and ayurveda. Its juice is used as antiseptic in Typhus fever (Nadkarni, 1927). In liquid fertilizers both water and fertilizer are at optimum rate in the vicinity of plant root zone, result in higher yield and better quality of watermelon. The yield increases besides fertilizer saving to the extent of 25 per cent when fertilizers applied through fertigation technique in tomato (Singh et al., 1973). Therefore, the fertilizer were applied through different water soluble grades

and compared with conventional fertilizers and control. The purpose of present studies was to provide data on the effects of varying water soluble fertilizer rates in several placement patterns on watermelon (Anonymous, 1967).

RESEARCH METHODS The experiment was conducted on silty clay soil (Typic Ustorthent) at Micronutrient Research Scheme Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry during summer season of 2011. The soil of experimental field was low in organic matter, available nitrogen and phosphorus, medium in available potash (177.64, 17.50 and 352.33 kg ha-1, respectively). Six treatment comprises i.e. T1: control (absolute), T2: GRD (100:50:50 N, P2O5, K2O kg ha-1), T3: foliar application of N, P2O5, and K2O @ 0.830:1.338:1.630 kg ha -1 through conventional fertilizers viz., urea + phosphoric acid + MOP, T4: foliar application of N, P2O5,

HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE

POONAM KUWAR, A.G. DURGUDE, S.R. KADAM AND A.A. PATIL

and K2O @ 0.830:1.338:1.630 kg ha-1 through water soluble grades (15:10:15, 15:30:15, 8:12:24), T5: foliar application of N, P2O5, and K2O @ 0.750:1.217:1.390 kg ha-1 through water soluble grades (15:10:15, 15:30:15, 8:12:24) and T6: foliar application of N, P2O5, and K2O @ 0.670: 1.098: 1.150 kg ha-1 through water soluble grades (15:10:15, 15:30:15, 8:12:24) were evaluated to see their effect on fruit yield, creeper yield, quality attributes as well as uptake of by watermelon. Different water soluble grades were applied as a foliar application of 15:10:15 at vegetative growth (15th and 21th day) second 15:30:15 was at flowering stage (28th and 35th day) and third spray 8:12:24 at fruit development stage (42th and 50th day). Recommended horticultural and crop protection practices were done. The experiment was laid out with four replications in Randomized Block design. Fruit weights were recorded as per maturity and creeper yield was recorded at the end of harvest. Flesh colour of watermelon fruits was recorded as per Munsell colour chart (USDA). Five fruits were randomly selected from each treatment. The weight of peel and pulp of each fruit was taken and accordingly average peel to pulp ratio was worked out. The soil and plant analysis were done by using standard methods and statistical analysis for the experiment was carried out by the methods given by Panse and Sukhatme (1985).

of N, P2O5 and K2O through water soluble grade and through conventional fertilizers over general recommended dose and control treatment. The highest fruit yield was recorded (36.90 Mg ha-1) in treatment T4 (foliar application of 0.830:1.338 : 1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grade) followed by 36.22 Mg ha-1 in treatment T3 (foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P 2 O5 and K 2 O kg ha -1 through conventional fertilizer). However, these T4 and T3 treatments were at par with each other and also found significantly superior over all the treatments. The similar findings were also recorded by Gezerel and Domez (1986); Randhawa et al. (1977); Narayan et al. (2007) and Narayanamma et al. (2009). The creeper yield of watermelon was found significantly highest in absolute control treatment T1 (9.20 q ha-1) over T4 (5.76 q ha-1) and T6 (5.77q ha1 ). However, treatment T1 was at par with T2 (7.25 q ha-1), T3 (7.46 q ha-1) and T5 (6.31 q ha-1). So the fruit yield and creeper yields were inversely related to each other and also reported by Giskin and Nerson (1984). The yield contributing characters viz., the average number of female flowers per plant, average numbers fruit/ plant were found significantly higher in treatment of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grade and conventional fertilizer. The fruit setting was found statistically non-significant also reported by (Gopalkrishnan and Choudhari, 1978 and Madane et al., 2000). The earliness in harvesting was observed in between the treatment of foliar application of fertilizer through water

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The results from Table 1 reveal that the fruit yield of watermelon significantly increased in all the foliar application

Table 1 : Fruit yield of watermelon as influenced by different foliar application of N, P2O5 and K2O Sr. No. Treatments T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

Fruit yield (Mg ha-1) Creeper yield (qt ha-1)

Control (Absolute) GRD (100:50:50 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1) + foliar water spray Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through conventional fertilizer Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades Foliar application of 0.750:1.217:1.390 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades Foliar application of 0.670:1.098:1.150 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades S.E. + C.D. (P=0.05)

13.05 31.97 36.22 36.90 34.27 33.89 0.56 1.71

9.20 7.25 7.46 5.76 6.31 5.77 1.32 3.03

Table 2 : Fruit yield contributing characters of watermelon as influenced by foliar application of different sprays of N, P2O5 and K2O Sr. Average no. male Average no. female Average no. Fruit Treatments No. flower/ plant flower/ plant fruits/ plant setting (%) T1

Control (Absolute)

23

9

6

18.73

T2 T3

GRD (100:50:50 NPK kg ha-1) + foliar water spray Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through conventional fertilizer Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades Foliar application of 0.750:1.217:1.390 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades Foliar application of 0.670:1.098:1.150 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades

32 33

13 16

10 12

22.02 24.93

35

15

13

26.08

34

14

11

22.51

35

12

10

21.22

S.E. +

2.06

1.16

0.81

1.79

C.D. (P=0.05) NS=Non–significant

6.22

3.52

2.45

N.S.

T4 T5 T6

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Hind Agricultural Research and Training Institute

RESPONSE OF WATERMELON TO FOLIAR APPLICATION OF DIFFERENT WATER SOLUBLE FERTILIZER

soluble grade and through conventional fertilizer was 74 to 80 days after sowing (Table 2). Flesh colour of fruit was dark red in the treatment T1 (Absolute control) to T6 (10 R 3/ 6) except treatment T2 (GRD). However, it was red 10 R 4/8 in RDF treatment of foliar application of water sprays. Red colour development in fruits is due to carotenoid pigments, particularly lycopene. The peel: pulp ratio in treatment T1 (control) and T3 (foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through conventional fertilizer) was 1.03:1. In case of T2 (RDF) and T5 (foliar application of N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble fertilizers) it was recorded as 1.01:1 and in treatment T6 (foliar application of N, P2O5 and K2O through water soluble fertilizer) it was 1.06 : 1. In treatment T4 (foliar application of N, P2O5 and K2O through 0.830:1.338:1.630 water soluble grade) it was recorded 0.96:1. All the treatments are best in case of peel : pulp ratio (Table 3) also reported by Lester et al. (2005) and Premsekhar and Rajshree (2009). The total nitrogen uptake by watermelon fruit plus

creeper at harvest was influenced significantly due to foliar application of water soluble fertilizers (Table 4). The highest uptake of total nitrogen (52.02 kg ha -1) was recorded in treatment T4 (Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1). This treatment was significantly superior over control (19.94 kg ha-1) T2 (43.02) and T3 (47.23). The treatment T4 was at par with T5 and T6. Similar results of higher uptake of total nitrogen were also reported by Govind and Prasad (1976). The total uptake of phosphorus by watermelon fruit + creeper at harvest was influenced significantly due to foliar application of water soluble fertilizers. The highest uptake of total phosphorus (13.74 kg ha-1) was significantly higher in treatment T4 over control. Treatment T4 was at par with T5 and T6. Treatments T4, T5 and T6 were significantly superior over all treatments. Similar trend was reported by Kasar (2008). The total uptake of potassium by watermelon fruit + creeper at harvest was influenced significantly due to foliar application of water soluble fertilizers. The highest uptake of total potassium

Table 3 : Fruit quality character of watermelon as influenced by different foliar application of N, P2O5 and K2O Sr. No. Treatments Flesh colour T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

Control (Absolute) GRD (100:50:50 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1) + foliar water spray Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through conventional fertilizer Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades Foliar application of 0.750:1.217:1.390 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades Foliar application of 0.670:1.098:1.150 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades

Peel : Pulp ratio

10 R 3/6 (Dark red) 10 R 4/8 (red) 10 R 3/6 (Dark red) 10 R 3/6 (Dark red) 10 R 3/6 (Dark red) 10 R 3/6 (Dark red)

1.03 : 1 1.01 : 1 1.03 : 1 0.96 : 1 1.01 : 1 1.06 : 1

Table 4 : Total nutrient uptake by watermelon as influenced by different foliar application of different sprays of N, P2O5 and K2O at harvest Sr. Total uptake of nutrients (Kg ha-1) Treatments No. N P K T1

Control (Absolute)

19.94

4.35

27.38

T2

GRD (100:50:50 N,P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1) + foliar water spray

43.02

10.90

65.14

T3

Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through conventional fertilizer

47.23

11.53

66.98

T4

Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through water soluble grades

52.02

13.74

74.60

T5


51.88

12.94

74.29

T6


48.46

12.78

70.89

S.E. +

1.47

0.43

0.59

C.D. (P=0.05)

4.42

1.29

1.79

Table 5 : Available nutrient status of soil at harvest as influenced by different foliar sprays of N, P2O5 and K2O Sr. Available nutrients (kg ha-1) Treatments No. N P K T1

Control (Absolute)

158.3

13.51

337.6

T2

GRD (100:50:50 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1) + foliar water spray

155.9

12.54

333.5

T3

Foliar application of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha-1 through conventional fertilizer

151.4

12.97

331.3

T4


148.5

11.83

329.0

-1

T5

Foliar application of 0.750:1.217:1.390 N, P2O5 and K2O kg ha through water soluble grades

150.3

12.65

330.9

T6


149.4

12.68

332.7

S.E. +

6.05

0.39

6.65

C.D. (P=0.05) NS=Non–significant

NS

1.176

20.02

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POONAM KUWAR, A.G. DURGUDE, S.R. KADAM AND A.A. PATIL

(74.60 kg ha-1) was significantly highest in T4 and T5 (74.29) which were at par with each other, also reported by Gene and John (2009) and Jifon et al. (2009). It could be seen from data that there was no significant difference among various treatment of N, P2O5 and K2O spray on available nitrogen content of soil. The highest availability of nitrogen (158.3 kg ha-1) was recorded due to less uptake of nitrogen by watermelon fruit plus creeper and it was lowest in treatment T4 (148.5 kg ha-1) due to more uptake of nitrogen. The highest phosphorus content (13.51 kg ha-1) in treatment T1 (control) was noticed due to less uptake of phosphorus. The lowest phosphorus content was recorded in treatment T4 (11.83 kg ha-1) because there was more uptake of phosphorus due to foliar application of N, P2O5 and K2O through water soluble grade. All the treatments in respect of phosphorus are at par with each other except control. The highest potassium content (337.6 kg ha-1) in treatment T1 (Control) was noticed due to less uptake of potassium. The lowest content of potassium was observed in treatment T4 (329.0 kg ha-1) due to more uptake of potassium by fruit + creeper.

Gopalkrishnan, B. S. and Choudhari, V.S. (1978). Effect of plant growth regulator spray on modification of sex, fruit set and development in watermelon. Indian J. Veg. Sci., 47:314-18.

Conclusion : It can be concluded that the foliar application of nutrient N, P2O5, and K2O, 0.830:1.338:1.630 kg ha-1 through water soluble fertilizer grades (15:10:15 at 15th and 23rd days of sowing, 15:30:15 at flowering of 28th and 35th days of sowing and 8:12:24 at 42th and 50th days after sowing) or through conventional fertilizer (urea + phosphoric acid + MOP) was found increase in fruit yield and total uptake of nutrient by watermelon (cv. KIRAN).

Madane, M.N., Choudhary, S.M. and More, T.A. (2000). Studies on fertigation in cucumber. In National seminar on “Hi-Tech. Horticulture” organized by NASS, New Delhi and IIHR, Banglore at June 26-28th, 2000. pp. 86-87.

Govind, S. and Prasad, A. (1976). Effect of soil and foliar application of nitrogen on the status of Mosambi (Citrus sinesis) leaves. Plant Sci. Lucknow, 8 : 84 - 87. Jifon, J., Gene, E. Lester, John, L., Donald, J. Makus (2009). Impact of K nutrition on postharvest fruit quality : melon (Cucumis melo L.). Abst. Plant & Soil., 335 : 1-2. Kasar, S.D. (2008). Studies on effect of different levels of humic acid spray with and without FYM on growth and yield of chilli and soil nutrient availability in Inceptisol. M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Ahmednagar, M.S. (INDIA). Lane, I. H. and Eynon, L. (1960). Determination of reducing sugars by means of Fehling’s solutions with Methylene Blue as an Internal Indicator. J. Soc. Chem. India, 42 : 32. Lester, G.E., Jifon, J.L. and Rogers, G. (2005). Supplemental foliar potassium application during muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit development can improve fruit quality, ascorbic acid, Beta-carotene contents. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 130 : 649-653.

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Randhawa, K.S., Nandpuri, K.S. and Singh, D. (1977). The effect of N, P and K fertilization on growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) cultivars. Veg. Sci. 5(1) : 4-7.

Gezerel, O. and Donmez, F. (1986). The effect of foliar fertilizer applications on yields and fruit quality of water melons. Develop. Plant & Soil Sci., 22 : 300-303.

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