Effect of fertigation on growth, yield and nutrient uptake in elephant foot yam Amorphophallus paeoniflorins (Dennest.) Nicolson

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted to elicit information on the yield and nutrient uptake of elephant foot yam [Amorphophallus paeoniflorins (Dennest.) Nicolson] under fertigation at orchard, Department of Vegetable Crops, TNAU, Coimbatore during the year 2012-2013. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The growth attributes of elephant foot yam viz., plant height, canopy spread, leaf area, and pseudo stem girth were found to be the highest in T5 receiving 75% RDF through (50 % straight fertilizers + 50% water soluble fertilizers) under fertigation. The yield attributes are corm weight, corm diameter, number of cornels, root number, root length and root diameter were also recorded highest in treatment T5 [75% RDF through (50% straight fertilizers + 50% water soluble fertilizers) followed by T4 which receives 100% RDF through (50% straight fertilizers + 50% water soluble fertilizers) under fertigation. Increased nutrient content and nutrient uptake in corms were observed in fertigation with 75% RDF through (50% straight fertilizers + 50% water soluble fertilizers) (T5) followed by fertigation with 100% RDF through (50 % straight fertilizers + 50% water soluble fertilizers) (T4). The BC ratio was found to be higher in T5 [fertigation with 75% RDF through (50% straight fertilizers + 50% water soluble fertilizers)] with 3.96.