Effect of sub-surface drip irrigation with water soluble fertilizers on fertilizer and water use efficiency

To evaluate the specialty water soluble fertilizer namely Ultrasol (09: 05: 33) for Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) under sub-surface drip irrigation (SSDI), this study was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2013–14. The study was designed in RBD with three replications, with treatments as various methods of fertilizer application including, soil application and drip fertigation. Sugarcane seedlings (var Co 86032) raised from single bud chips were planted (dual row) in trenches opened at 1.8 m, 40 cm width and 30 cm depth with 1.29 lph were placed in the centre of the trenches. SSDI was scheduled once in 3 days at 100% PE and fertigation was given based on crop growth demand at weekly interval from 15 to 210 DAP. Drip fertigation of 100% RDF with Ultrosol, MAP and Urea (F7) resulted in significantly highest the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) (390.1 kg ha⁻¹ cane yield N+P2O5+K2O applied) and higher water use efficiency (WUE) (120.28kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹) in Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI).