EFFECT OF SOIL WORKING TECHNIQUES ON MOISTURE CONSERVATION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN POMEGRANATE CV. GANESH UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS

Five soil working techniques viz.
T₁– traditional basin, T₂ –basin with 15 cm thick grass mulch, T3-V-ditch (Negarin), T₄ –trench system, T₅ – crescent bund with open catchment pits were employed to conserve the soil moisture at three soil depths (0-15, 15-30, 30-45 cm) under two plant spacings of 3×3 and 4x3m.
Among different soil working techniques used, T₅ – crescent bund with open catchment pits happened to store maximum soil moisture content of 13.62, 15.18 per cent at 0-15 cm soil depth, 14.04,16.23 per cent at 15-30 cm soil depth and 14.44, 17.29 per cent at 30-45 cm soil depth during the years 2001 and 2002, respectively.
The yield per plant and per hectare was also recorded highest in crescent bund with open catchment pits due to high moisture availability.
The plants spaced at 4×3 m produced larger fruits than 3×3 m spacing.
However, 3×3 m spacing produced higher yield of small sized fruits due to accommodation of more number of plants per hectare (1112 plants/ha) in comparison to 4×3 m plant spacing (834 plants/ha).

VII International Symposium on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics – Part Two

H.L. Farmahan, N. Sharma

pomegranate, moisture conservation, soil working, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.696.47