Plant growth, nutrient uptake, water use efficiency and yield of pomegranate as affected by irrigation scheduling in loamy soils of semi-arid regions

A field experiment was conducted on loamy soil of National Research Centre on Pomegranate, Solapur, Maharashtra for three consecutive years (2010 to 2013) to assess the water requirement of pre-bearing and bearing plants of pomegranate cv. Bhagwa. The treatments consisted of replenishment of irrigation water equivalent to 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90% of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) on alternate day laid out in randomized block design with four replications. The results of the study showed that during pre-bearing year, maximum plant growth can be achieved with the application of irrigation equivalent to 60% of CPE, while during bearing period it should be 70% of CPE. In three-year-old plants, maximum fruit yield (6.79 kg/plant) and irrigation efficiency (0.473 t/ha-cm) was observed in 70% CPE treatment. Leaf content of N (2.25%), Cu (124.9 ppm) and Mn (80.7 ppm) was also highest in this treatment. Fruit cracking to the extent of 58.8, 45.3 and 37.7% was recorded from the plants supplied with 30, 40 and 50% of CPE irrigation, respectively which reduced fruit yield drastically.