Effect of irrigation and nutrient management on growth, fibre yield and water use of ramie (Boehmeria nivea)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Research Farm of CRIJAF, Barrackpore, Kolkata during 2006 and 2007 with two irrigation regimes (IW/CPE ratio of 0.6 and 0.9) and three nutrient management schedules (100% N from ramie compost, 50% N from ramie compost + 50% N from chemical fertilizer and 100% N from chemical fertilizer based) to determine the effect of irrigation and nutrient management on growth, yield and water use of ramie. Irrigation based on 0.6 IW/CPE ratio recorded higher LAI (7.4-25%), net photosynthetic rate (4.6-9.3%), dry matter (28.5 - 42.8%), fibre yield (23 – 28% ) and water use efficiency (7-19%) of ramie compared to 0.3 IW/CPE ratio irrigation treatment. In second year (2007), the LAI, net photosynthetic rate, fibre yield as well as water use efficiency of the crop receiving INM treatment (50% N from ramie compost + 50% N from inorganic source) was statistically at par to that receiving 100% N from chemical source. The results indicated that application of irrigation to ramie based on IW/CPE ratio of 0.6 and substitution of 50% of the recommended fertilizer nitrogen (15 kg/ha/cut) through integration of ramie compost in the fertilizer schedule of the crop showed better growth and fibre yield of ramie, increased the water use efficiency and economized the requirement of inorganic nitrogen by the crop and can be adopted for commercial cultivation of ramie in south Bengal condition.