Studies on standardization of fertigation schedule pruning intervals and intensity on growth yield and quality of cocoa grown under coconut plantation

Abstract

newline Name of the author : PULIDINDI LEELA JANAKI newlineTitle of the thesis : STUDIES ON STANDARDIZATION OF newlineFERTIGATION SCHEDULE, PRUNING newlineINTERVALS AND INTENSITY ON GROWTH, newlineYIELD AND QUALITY OF COCOA GROWN newlineUNDER COCONUT PLANTATION newlineDegree to which it is newlinesubmitted : newlineDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN newlineHORTICULTURE newlineMajor field : PLANTATION, SPICES, MEDICINAL AND newlineAROMATIC CROPS newlineFaculty : HORTICULTURE newlineChairman of Advisory newlineCommittee newline: Dr. D. VENKATA SWAMI newlineUniversity : Dr. Y.S.R HORTICULTURAL UNIVERSITY newlineYear of submission : 2023 newlineABSTRACT newlineThe present study entitled Studies on standardization of fertigation newlineschedule, pruning intervals and intensity on growth, yield and quality of cocoa newlinegrown under coconut plantation was carried out in farmer newlines field of newlineAnkampalem Village of East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh during 2019 to newline2021. It was laid out in two experiments. In the first experiment, the effect of newlinefertigation schedules on growth, yield, quality of cocoa and optimization of newlinenutrients through fertigation was carried out and in the second experiment, effect newlineof pruning intervals and intensity on growth, yield and quality was carried. The newlinefirst experiment was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments newlinereplicated thrice consisting of application of water soluble fertilizers through drip newlineirrigation and soil application of straight fertilizers. Observations were recorded newlineon growth characters before and after application of fertilizers. Data regarding newlineflowering, yield, bean and quality characters of cocoa were also recorded during newlineboth the years. Besides this, the soil nutrient analysis (major and minor newlinenutrients) and fertilizer use efficiency was analyzed before and after fertigation newlineduring 2019-20 and 2020-21. newlineThe study revealed that after fertigation, trees treated with 100 % RDF newlinethrough fertigation had recorded highest tree height, girth of the tree and height newlineat first branching. The trees supplied with 125 % RDF through fertigation had newlinerecorded highest canopy spread (EW), canopy