Effect of Drip Irrigation Scheduling, Planting Methods and Mulches on Growth and Yield of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Abstract

The present field experiment was conducted to study the effect of planting methods, mulches and drip irrigation scheduling on fennel during Rabi season of 2020-21 and 2021-22 at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Jodhpur. The field experiment was laid out in split plot design comprised of four levels of drip irrigation (1.0, 0.8, 0.6 and 0.4 PEF i.e. Pan Evaporation Fraction) in main plots, two planting methods (direct sowing and transplanting) in sub plots and three mulches (no mulch, straw mulch and plastic mulch) in sub-sub plots. The results revealed that increasing levels of drip irrigation from 0.4 to 1.0 PEF significantly enhanced crop growth and yield in both the seasons of experimentation. Drip irrigation scheduled at 1.0 PEF resulted to significantly higher CGR, RGR and seed yield (2482 kg/ha) over lower levels of drip irrigation. Among planting methods, transplanting surpassed direct sowing led to significantly higher growth rates and seed yield (2141 kg/ha) compared to direct sowing. Moreover, use of straw mulch was found significantly superior in this respect and improved seed yield by 4.79 and 40.88 percent over plastic mulch and without mulch.