Optimal design of flow rate in drip irrigation system to enhance the tomato cultivation
water and fertilizers, the irrigation system must be
Materials and Methods
properly designed and operated. The selection of
The details of the project site, preparation of
suitable fertilizers is also very important and must
seedling, drip irrigation system, fertigation system,
be based on several factors like nutrient form, purity,
preparation of field, material used and the methods
solubility and cost. Fertilization in agricultural
followed to evaluate the effect of drip irrigation
field is one of the important steps to increase the
system and fertigation on growth and yield of tomato
productivity of a cropped field. The drip system
plant are presented in this section.
can be used for fertilizing crop through the system
of fertigation. Some arid countries in Western Asia
A rectangular farm area of 6×5 m 2 was selected as a
already use irrigation to simultaneously dispose
project site to determine the effect of drip irrigation
of municipal wastewater effluent and resolve the
system and fertigation on growth and yield of
demand for irrigation water by farmers. Bar-Yosef
tomato plant. Farm was situated just beside the
(1999) reported a number of potential agronomic
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Assam
advantages for fertigation with drip irrigation (DI)
University Silchar. In the present study, “Samartha
.These advantages included nutrient application to
F1 hybrid” variety of tomato has been selected on
the center of the root system, and the utilization of
the basis of environment, sustainability, adaptability
nutrient rich secondary municipal effluents.
and availability in local market. One high-density
polyethylene (HDPE) container was used to prepare
Drip irrigation is an interesting technology for arid
the seedling of tomato. HDPE container was filled
and semi-arid countries, to enhance the safe disposal
with rich soil to prepare about 20 cm thick soil
of wastewater while maintaining or increasing
bed. Sufficient amount of farmyard manure (FYM)
yields (Camp, 1998). Optimum yield of crop can be
was mixed with soil. Before sowing, soil bed was
obtained when needed primary nutrients (N, P and
converted in to loosen state by digging or ploughing
K) and others are injected precisely through the drip
3-4 times.
irrigation system (Godara et al. , 2013). Khalilian et al. ,
(2000) conducted the research on row crop using the
The land (experimental field) for growing tomato was
different irrigation method and they found that drip
prepared to fine tilth by digging the soil surface 4-5
irrigation is one of the most economical methods of
times. Recommended amount of FYM (10 tone/ha)
water application to agronomic row crops such as
was mixed with soil before 15 days of transplanting.
corn, peanuts, and cotton. Sijali (2001) worked on
Liming has been done before transplanting; liming
drip irrigation system and reported that higher crop
was done to raise the soil pH to optimum range (5.5
yield may be obtained by using the drip irrigation
to 6.8). Total six numbers of small ridges having
system since is applied in regular basis.Keeping in
length of 4 meters was constructed. Each ridge was
view the above points, the present study has been
constructed uniformly maintaining the interval of 75
focused on determining the effect of drip irrigation
cm. Transplantation of seedling was carried out after
system and fertigation on growth and yield of tomato
28 days of sowing when seedling height was 10-15
with the following specific objectives:
cm. Total sixty tomato plants were planted manually
on the six small ridges. In one ridge total ten numbers
ˆ To analysis the growth rate of tomato plant
of seedlings were planted by maintaining the plant
at different flow rates of drip irrigation.
to plant distance of 30 cm (Anonymous, 2010.
ˆ To compare the yield of tomato at different
flow rate of drip irrigation.
In drip irrigation system, water is supplied to the
plants at its root zone through a network of pipes.
ˆ To determine the effect of fertigation
A drip irrigation system consists essentially of
through drip irrigation on growth and yield
over head tank or pump, mainline, sub mains,
of tomato.
lateral, drippers, filters and other small fittings and
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