Effect of fertigation on vegetative growth of pineapple (Ananascomosus (L.) Merr.) variety ‘Giant Kew’.

Not AvailableThe effect of fertigation levels on the vegetative growth of pineapple variety ‘Giant Kew’ was studied during the crop establishment stage and the flower induction stage of the plant crop. The treatments were T0: Surface irrigation+ Conventional application of 100 % RDN (12:4:12 g NPK/ plant/ cycle), T1: Drip irrigation + Conventional application of 100% RDN (12:4:12 g NPK/ plant/ cycle), T2: Drip fertigation with 125% RDN (15: 5:15 g NPK/ plant/ cycle),T3: Drip fertigation with 100 % RDN (12:4:12 g NPK/ plant/ cycle), T4: Drip fertigation with 75 % RDN (9:3:9 g NPK/ plant/ cycle) and T5: Drip fertigation with 50 % RDN (6:2:6 g NPK/ plant/ cycle).At crop establishment stage, the highest plant height (58.24 cm) and stem girth (36.33 cm) were recorded in T2 treatment. The number of leaves were high in T2 (17.46) and T3 (17.82) treatments.The plants under T2 and T3 also had the highest D leaf length (63.47 cm, 85.09 cm respectively), D leaf width (3.59 cm and 3.57 cm respectively) and D leaf thickness. D leaf weight was highest in T2 treatment (42.39 g). At flower induction stage, T2 had the highest plant height (85.03 cm), Number of leaves (48.91) and stem girth (41.88 cm) which was on par with T3 and T4. D leaf length, D leaf weight and D leaf thickness were also high in T2 treatment. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content and chlorophyll a/ b ratio was the highest in T2, but there was no significant difference between the treatments.Not Availabl