EFFICIENT USE OF WATER AND NUTRIENTS THROUGH DRIP AND MULCH IN APPLE

Fertigation offers vast potential for efficient use of water and nutrients in sustainable orchard management. Beside minimizing losses, their distribution within the rhizosphere is of utmost importance. In present investigations, most of feeder roots were observed within 30 cm soil depth. Under drip fertigation, wetting front extended horizontally up to 45 cm from emitter. However, the maximum moisture content remained confined within 30 cm distance. Vertically, soil moisture also remained higher in the 0-30 cm soil layers. Under surface irrigation, deeper soil layers registered higher moisture content. Available nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) under fertigation closely followed the moisture distribution pattern. Fertigation plus mulch resulted in 20% fertilizer and 15% water savings over fertigation without mulch. Beside 33% higher fruit yield and 25% water savings, and fertigation plus mulch resulted in 20 percent fertilizer and 40% water savings over surface irrigation.