Study on the impact of various irrigation methods on soil properties in maize

A field experiment was conducted to find out the changes in soil physical and chemical properties and soil fertility under various irrigation methods in maize-groundnut cropping system at Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar, Tamil Nadu. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design in a plot size of 15 m2 with 6 main plot treatments viz drip irrigation, drip fertigation, sub-surface drip irrigation, sub-surface drip fertigation, sprinkler irrigation and conventional method of irrigation and 3 sub-plot treatments viz absolute control (no fertilizer), recommended dose of NPK fertilizers through normal fertilizers/recommended dose of NPK fertilizers through water soluble fertilizers (according to the irrigation treatment) and recommended dose of NPK fertilizers through normal fertilizers/recommended dose of NPK fertilizers through water soluble fertilizers (according to the irrigation treatment) + vermicompost @ 5 tonnes/ha and treatments replicated thrice. The results of the study revealed that sub-surface drip fertigation with the application of recommended dose of NPK fertilizers along with vermicompost @ 5 tonnes/ha was superior in enhancing the soil physical, chemical and post-harvest soil fertility status.