Assessment of fruit quality, dry matter yield and nutrient uptake of Summer chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) for different irrigation and fertigation levels

A field experiment entitled “Impact of Irrigation and Fertigation Levels on Growth, Yield and Quality of Summer Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)” was carried out during summer season of 2018, in split plot design having main plot treatments as drip irrigation levels viz. I1: at 0.7 ETc, I2: at0.8 ETc, I3: at 0.9 ETc, I4: at 1.0 ETc, and I5: at 1.1 Etc and Sub-plot treatments as fertigation levels viz. F1= 60 per cent of RDF, F2= 80 per cent of RDF and F3= 100 per cent of RDF with fifteen treatment combinations, replicated thrice. Results of the study indicates that for different drip irrigation levels, the ascorbic acid content of chilli was found optimum with drip irrigation at 0.80 of crop evapotranspiration and fertigation with 80 per cent of RDF applied in eleven splits, with 20 per cent saving of irrigation water and fertilizer. Oleoresin content of chilli was not influenced by different drip irrigation levels, however, it was found to be optimum to fertigation with 80 per cent of RDF. The significant differences on dry matter yield and nutrient uptake were observed for different drip irrigation and fertigation levels. As drip irrigation levels between 80 to 100 per cent of crop evapotranspiration were found statistically at par with each other for dry matter yield and nutrient uptake by chilli, irrigation level of 80 per cent of crop evapotranspiration was found optimum among the all tested treatments. Whereas, for different levels of fertigation in eleven splits had significant effect on dry matter yield and nutrient uptake by chilli. Dry matter yield and nutrient uptake were found highest in F3 (fertigation with 100% of RDF) treatment. Further fertigation levels with100 per cent of RDF and 80 per cent of RDF was found statistically at par with each other for the dry matter yield and nutrient uptake. Therefore, fertigation with 80 per cent RDF in eleven splits was found optimum.