Effective Media Validation, Benefits and Costs for Achieving High Yield in Ribbed Gourd in Soilless Culture under Matric Suction Irrigation

Abstract

Aims: To standardize an appropriate method of finding suitable particulate organic substrates for composing soilless media, a soilless experiment was conducted in an open wasteland area in pandal system under matric suction irrigation Study Design:  Completely Randomized Design Place and Duration of Study: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Trichy, Tamil Nadu during Rabi 2020-2021 Methodology: Three growing media were tested with ten replications. For composing the growing media equal proportion (on a weight basis) of substrates viz., coir pith, vermicompost, fly ash, green manure (Dhaincha), and sand were mixed in different combinations. Ribbed gourd CoH-1 was raised in growing media in containers that were interconnected by tubs and tubes to maintain moisture always by matric suction irrigation technique. Results: Growing media having Coir pith: Vermicompost: Green Manure: Sand registered the highest fruit yield (10.033 kg pot-1), water use efficiency (411.2 kg fresh fruit mm-1) and benefit-cost ratio (1.95) than that of the growing media combination with fly ash. This green manure combination significantly recorded 18% more yield and water use efficiency than that of the coir pith and vermicompost combination. Apparent nutrient recovery was highest in the growing media with coir pith: vermicompost: green manure: sand for N (22.42%), P (23.47%), and K (192.9%). Conclusion: Exploitation of the potentiality of particulate organic materials demonstrated in this soilless system technique may be useful for farmers to generate additional farm income with proper use of particulate organic substrates obtainable/ available in their farm.