Response of strawberry to different irrigation regimes and fertigation levels through drip irrigation under plastic mulch

A field experiment entitled, “Response of strawberry to different irrigation regimes and fertigation levels through drip irrigation under plastic mulch” was conducted at farm of Interfaculty Department of Irrigation Water Management, Post Graduate Institute, MPKV, Rahuri, Dist. Ahilyanagar (Maharashtra) with a view to study the yield potential of strawberry during Rabi season, 2023-24. The present investigation was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The main plot treatments comprised of four irrigation regimes viz., I1: 0.4 ETc, I2: 0.6 ETc, I3: 0.8 ETc and I4: 1.0 ETc whereas sub plot treatments comprised of three fertigation levels viz., F1: 50% RDF, F2: 75% RDF and F3: 100% RDF. Scheduling of irrigation at 1.0 ETc irrigation regime registered maximum and significantly higher growth contributing characters viz., plant height (27.89 cm), dry matter content plant-1 (29.86 g), plant spread (30.89 cm), number of functional leaves plant-1 (24.86), leaf area (6.18 dm2 ) at last harvesting stage, as compared to rest of fertigation levels. It was at par with 0.8 ETc irrigation regime. The yield attributing character viz., length of fruit (3.42 cm) and weight of fruits plant-1 (277.98 g) was maximum and significantly higher in scheduling of irrigation at 1.0 ETc irrigation regimes and it was at par with irrigation regimes of 0.8 ETc. The application of irrigation at 1.0 ETc produced higher fruit yield, harvested in all intervals (18.44 t ha-1 ). It was at par with 0.8 ETc irrigation regime (18.20 t ha-1 ). The minimum values of all the yield attributes were registered at 0.4 ETc irrigation regime. Application of fertigation at 100% RDF fertigation level registered maximum and significantly higher growth contributing characters viz., plant height (26.74 cm), dry matter content plant-1 (28.95 g), and plant spread (30.76 cm), number of functional leaves plant-1 (24.95), leaf area (6.23 dm2 ) at last harvesting stage, as compared to rest of fertigation levels. It was at par with 75% RDF fertigation level. The yield attributing characters viz., length of fruit (3.52 cm) and weight of fruit plant-1 (272.52 g) was maximum and significantly higher with fertigation at 100% RDF. The application of fertigation at 100% RDF fertigation level produced higher fruit yield (17.99 t ha-1 ) was at par with 75% RDF fertigation level (16.76 t ha-1 ). The minimum values of all the yield attributes were registered at 50% RDF fertigation level.