Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 8 Economics of Kinnow production under drip irrigation with RDI and PRD treatments
in 2010-2011.
Treat-
ments
Yield
(tons
ha -1 )
Gross in-
come (INR *
ha -1 )
Fixed cost
(INR
ha -1 )
Operat-
ing cost
(INR
ha -1 )
Total
cost
(INR
ha -1 )
Net
income
(INR
ha -1 )
B/ C
Economic
water pro-
ductivity
[INR (mm
irrigation
water
used) -1 ]
RDI 0
30.6 c
707,00 °C
12,600 a
120,000 a
132,000 a
575,00 °C
5.3 ab
1,100 ab
RDI 50
59.6 a
1,380,000 a
12,600 a
93,000 d
106,00 °C
1,270,000 a
13.0 b
1,72 °C
FI
61.9 a
1,430,000 a
12,600 a
122,000 a
132,000 a
1,300,000 a
10.8 d
1,370 d
Wholesale price of Kinnow = Rs. 2,310 per 100 kg; * Land charge is not considered assuming the land
belongs to the grower. Electric power cost is assumed at Rs. 5 per kwh; B/C = Benefit-cost ratio. INR =
Indian rupees, Rs.
19.4 CONCLUSIONS
The vegetative growth and fruit yield of the 'Kinnow' mandarin plants need for higher
irrigation water quantity. However, deficit irrigation scheduled at 50% ETc at early
fruit enlargement period improved irrigation water use efficiency substantially, due to
higher water saving with a minor decrease in yield over FI. Moreover, better quality
citrus fruits were harvested from the deficit-irrigated trees. The higher leaf nutrient
concentration under FI was associated with higher availability of such nutrients in soil
under this treatment. However, the consistent reduction of micronutrients in soil advo-
cates for the application of appropriate quantity of the nutrients to the plants. Based on
these results, it can be inferred that application of irrigation water at 50% ETc at early
fruit enlargement period could be better option for 'Kinnow' mandarin cultivation in
water scarce northern India.
19.5 SUMMARY
The shortage of irrigation water is emerging as the major abiotic constraint limit-
ing the productivity of citrus in arid and semiarid regions. Regulated deficit irriga-
tion (RDI) is the recently proposed water saving technique in irrigated agriculture.
However, the information on response of citrus to RDI is very limited worldwide.
Keeping this in view, the present study was conducted to explore the feasibility of
RDI in drip-irrigated 'Kinnow' mandarin ( Citrus reticulata Blanco) plants in a semi
arid climate of northern India. Two RDI treatments: no irrigation (RDI 0 ) and irriga-
tion at 50% crop-evapotranspiration (RDI 50 ) in early fruit growth period (EFGP) were
compared with full irrigation (FI: irrigation at 100% crop-evapotranspiration) in the
crop. RDI 50 proved superior, producing the fruit yield at par with FI, with better quality
fruits. Moreover, RDI 50 resulted in 35% improvement in irrigation water use efficiency
 
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