Effect of drip irrigation and polythene mulch on yield, quality, water-use efficiency and economics of broccoli production

A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of different irrigation regimes and polythene mulch on yield, quality and water used efficiency of the broccoli variety Pusa Broccoli KTS-1. Treatments were constituted with four drip irrigation regimes viz., 60, 80, 100 and 120 percent of evaporation replenishment by drip irrigation and two level of mulching viz., no mulch and mulch with black polythene along with a furrow irrigation treatment, which was irrigated fortnightly based on available soil moisture depletion. Important yield attributed characters viz., head diameter (20.25 cm), head weight (603.50 g) were highest under drip irrigation at 120% evaporation replenishment with black polythene mulch. Water use efficiency (WUE) was highest(4.11 t/ha cm) in drip irrigation at 60% evaporation replenishment (EPR) with black polyethylene mulch and lowest (0.59 t/ha cm) under furrow irrigation. Water saving varying from 48.57% in drip irrigation at 120%EPR to 74.33 in drip irrigation at 60% EPR was recorded as compared to conventional furrow method of irrigation. The highest benefit to cost ratio of 5.73 was obtained in the treatment 120% evaporation replenishment along with black polythene film.