PJB-2025-58
OPTIMIZED FERTIGATION STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN CASUARINA CLONES - A FIELD ST
S NAVANEETHA KRISHNAN
Abstract
The growing demand for sustainable forestry practices has led to the exploration of fertigation techniques that optimize nutrient management, improve soil health, and enhance tree productivity. This field study examines the influence of sustainable fertigation practices on soil nutrient dynamics and growth performance in Casuarina clones cultivated across various farmlands in Tamil Nadu, India. Based on agroclimatic factors, daily rainfall, evapotranspiration, and fertilizer dosage (Recommended dose of fertilizers) of 200:200:300 gm/plant/year, irrigation is scheduled according to the tree's computed water need as potential evapotranspiration or pan evaporation (PE). The spacing regimes (1 x 1m, 1.2 x 1.2m, 1.5 x 1.5m and 1.8 x 1.2m) is distributed as main plot, irrigation treatment combinations (50%, 75%, 100% and 125% Pan evaporation) is assigned as subplot I and fertilizer combinations (75%, 100%, 125% and 150% Recommended dose of fertilizers) is assigned as subplot II. The growth parameters recorded in relation to basal diameter (cm), height (cm) and volume index (cm3) were analysed during growth stages 5 Months after Treatment (MAT) and 10 MAT. At 5 MAT, I1F1 (50% PE 75% RDF) attained maximal height (68 cm) whereas basal diameter (0.274 cm) and volume index (12.94 m3) recorded maximum at I3F3 (100% PE 125% RDF), where at 10 MAT, I4F3 (125% PE 125% RDF) obtained maximal height (79 cm) and volume index (25.61 m3) whereas I3F2 (100% PE 100% RDF) cataloged maximal basal diameter (0.324 cm). This study contributes to the sustainable utilization of resources by optimizing water and fertilizer requirements, thereby enhancing Casuarina productivity and overall biomass yield.
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