DAMANDEEP SINGH* AND SHAILESH KUMAR SINGH
Department of Horticulture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara-144 411, Jalandhar (Punjab), India
*(e-mail : damansingh_deep@live.com; Mobile : 7508999313)
(Received : March 27, 2019; Accepted : May 15, 2019)
ABSTRACT
Papaya, being a tropical climate fruit, has its limited cultivation in sub-tropical areas because of various biotic and abiotic stresses. However, its cultivation is much popular among various orchardists due to multiple uses of its fruit and its higher yield potential. The sensitivity of this crop to varying soil moisture levels that may act lethal to plant or may change its morphology, necessitates the use of precise standardized technologies like drip irrigation and fertigation. This review compiles the best irrigation and fertigation intensities and frequencies that can be applied in papaya crop with benefits in one or the other way. With the implementation of precision irrigation and fertigation in papaya cultivation, adequate water and fertilizer saving can be done along with improvement in papaya plant growth, fruit yield and quality ultimately targeting promising returns with enhancement in cost : benefit ratio.
Key words :Papaya, drip irrigation, fertigation, fruit production