Effect of Irrigation and Fertigation Levels on Growth andYield of Chilli [Capsicum annuumL.]

The present investigation was conducted at All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar during summer and late kharif 2018-19. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications and sixteen treatment combinations, which comprises four levels of irrigation viz., I 1 -0.7ETc, I 2 -0.8 ET C , I 3 -0.9 ET C and I 4 -1.0ETc by drip irrigation as main plot treatments and four levels of fertigation viz., F 1 -125, F 2 -100, F 3 -75 and F 4 -50 % of RDF through WSF as sub- plot treatments. The control treatment (I 5 ) i.e. surface irrigation with 100 % RDF through conventional fertilizers. The results indicated that the irrigation level I 2 -0.8 Etc as well as fertigation level F 2 -100% RDF through WSF showed significantly better growth attributes viz., plant height, number of primary branches plant -1 and plant spread compared to the rest of the levels of drip irrigation and fertigation as well as control, during both the season of experimentation and in pooled results. As concerned with flowering characteristics, the control treatment noticed early days to 50 % flowering than the rest of the levels of drip irrigation and fertigation. Whereas irrigation levels showed significant variation in respect days to 50 % flowering, the irrigation levelI 1 -0.7ETcregistered minimum days to 50 % flowering while maximum days to 50 % flowering was observed under I 4 -1.0ETcirrigation regime, while the fertigation level F 1 -125% RDF through WSF recorded significantly minimum number of days to 50 % flowering during both the season under study and also reflected same trend in pooled results. Scheduling of irrigation through drip irrigation at 0.8 ETc irrigation level along with fertigation level F 2 -100 % RDF through WSF recorded significant maximum fruit length, fruit diameter, and average weight of fruit over rest of the levels of drip irrigation and fertigation as well as control, during both the season and in pooled results. Application of irrigation at 0.8Etc level coupled with fertigation level F 2 -100% RDF through WSF recorded significantly maximum yield plant -1 (444.49, 953.67, and 699.08 g, respectively), yield plot -1 (14.22, 30.52 and 22.37 kg, respectively) and total yield hectare -1 (123.47, 264.91 and 194.19 q, respectively). However, challenges include understanding the specific needs of different chili varieties and soil types, ensuring equitable water and fertilizer distribution, and overcoming logistical barriers in remote areas.