Performance of Wild Apricot under Fertigation Practices (Prunus armeniaca L.) in Cold Arid Condition of Ladakh Region

Abstract

The present investigation entitled "Performance of wild apricot under fertigation practices (Prunus armeniaca L.) in cold arid condition of Ladakh" was carried out at PFDC Farm Leh. The fertigation techniques of water and fertilizers application has provide its superiority, in fruit and vegetable crops, owing to precise and direct application of water in the root zone without wetting the entire area. Fertigation consequences with and without mulch in apricot, one of the most important temperate fruit crops of Ladakh region, have yet not been established. The present investigation was therefore, carried out to investigate the effect of fertigation on growth parameters of apricot. The higher increase in growth parameters under drip fertigation may be attributed to better water and nutrient utilization. The frequent application of water and nutrients might have met the plant requirement during the critical growth periods. On the other hand, under conventional soil fertilization, apricot plants might not have access to these nutrients due to lack of optimum soil moisture condition throughout the growing period beside higher nutrient losses. The result revealed that, effect of fertigation and irrigation level on annual shoot extension growth (ASEG) was significant. F 1 (Fertigation-100% RD) along with I 1 (30 minutes) registered significantly maximum increase in ASEG (46.92 cm and 45.45 cm). Maximum increase in plant height (2.02 m and 1.97 m) were observed under the same treatment, but it"s were observed to be statistically non-significant in treatment of irrigation level. Maximum (4.06 m and 3.83 m) canopy volume were observed under treatments F1 (Fertigation-100% RD) along with I 1 (30 minutes), respectively. Application of fertilizers through drip resulted in less fixation of the nutrients in soil and thus higher availability of nutrients and growths in the plant. The fertigation level should be accomplished with F 1 (Fertigation-100% RD) along with I 1 (30 minutes) to attain higher productivity of plant growth parameters in apricot. Also, it should be considered that an investigation of a longer length should be carried out to draw more conclusive results. So, plants should be tried for at least 3-5 years to bring some confirmation of the above brought results.