Effect of Drip Fertigation with Different Fertilizers on Nutrient Distribution in Soil, Leaf Nutrient Content and Yield of Apricot (Prunus aremeniaca L.)

The effect of drip fertigation with different levels of conventional and water soluble fertilizers on nutrient distribution in soil, leaf nutrient content and yield of apricot (Primus aremeniaca L.) cv. New Castle was evaluated through field trials for three years (2004–06) on ‘Inceptisol’ at Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Treatments comprised of drip fertigation with 100, 75 and 50% recommended dose (RD) each of conventional fertilizer (CF) and water soluble fertilizers (WSF) besides conventional soil fertilization both under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Iso-moisture curves were developed to determine the water distribution pattern under drip irrigation. Most of the applied nutrients under fertigation remained confined in the surface layers, whereas N and K moved to the lower depths under soil fertilization plus irrigations. The NO₃-N under drip fertigation was higher in the upper soil layers than found for conventional soil fertilization suggesting higher leaching losses in the latter. The NO₃-N content was low below the emitters and increased with increasing lateral distance from the emitter up to 15 cm and thereafter, a decline occurred. The NH₄-N concentration was higher under the emitters and decreased both vertically and laterally. Leaf nutrient contents were higher under drip fertigation compared to soil fertilization. Fertigation resulted in significantly higher fruit weight and yield of apricot compared to soil fertilization. Drip fertigation with WSF gave comparatively higher fruit yield compared to CF. The regression analysis of data on fruit yield and tried fertilizer levels revealed 67 and 70% of RD as the optimum levels for CF and WSF, respectively for drip fertigation. Thus, a saving of about 30% fertilizers could be achieved through fertigation.