Productivity and water use efficiency of kinnow mandarin (citrus reticulate blanco) as influenced by drip trickle irrigation and hydrogel

An experiment was conducted to find out the effect of drip trickle irrigation and hydrogel with black polyethylene mulch on productivity and water use efficiency of Kinnow mandarin. The two years pooled data revealed that highest available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (244, 20 and 164 kgha-1), porosity and maximum water holding capacity (34.5 and 40.9 %) and percent increase height, spread and canopy volume (13.6, 14.8 and 44.5 %), respectively, were obtained with the application of 3 days drip trickle irrigation and 90 g hydrogel with black polyethylene mulch materials of tree. The drip trickle irrigation and hydrogel with black polyethylene mulch produced a significantly (p=0.05) maximum improve in soil moisture content over control treatment. The 3 days drip trickle irrigation and 90 g hydrogel with mulch showed highest fruit yield (9404.7 kg ha-1), length (6.5 cm), weight (116.5 g) and quality of fruit volume (113.9 cc), Juice content (54.1 %) and TSS (13.3 0Brix). The specific gravity and titratable acidity showed reverse trend. The water use efficiency and benefit cost ratio were better in 3 days drip trickle irrigation and 90 g hydrogel with mulch materials of tree.