Economics of growing sweet pepper under low tunnels

To study the economics of growing sweet pepper under low tunnels an experiment was laid out in split plot design keeping four irrigation treatments (drip irrigation with IW/CPE ratio of 0.60 (I₁), 0.75 (I₂), 0.90 (I₃) and furrow irrigation with paired row planting (I₄), in main plots and three different low tunnel heights (45cm (H₁), 60cm (H₂) and 75cm (H₃) in sub plots and replicated three times. Total yield was observed highest in H₂ and I₂ treatments. There was significant effect of irrigation, tunnel height on sweet pepper yield and their interaction was also significant. Among the tunnel height treatments H₂ gave an increase of 11.08% yield over lowest H₁ treatment. Best drip irrigated treatment (I₂) gave an increase of 30.67% over the furrow irrigated paired row planting (I₄). For treatment combination, in the I₂H₂ treatment mean sweet pepper yield was maximum (298.86 q/ha) and minimum in I₄H₁ treatment (209.39 q/ha). The early yield varying from 16-20% was obtained under low tunnels. The treatment combination of I₂H₂ treatment gave highest benefit-cost ratio (2.93 without subsidy) and (3.05 with maximum subsidy) on drip irrigation.