7th International Micro Irrigation Congress

MICRO IRRIGATION FOR OPEN FIELD PLANTING: EFFECT OF SURFACE

DRIP FERTIGATION ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF FLUE-CURED
TOBACCO GROWN ON TWO SOIL TYPES

Wan Zaki, W. M. 1 and C. H. Mohammud2

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of fertilizer application method (surface
drip fertigation versus manual application) on growth and yield of flue-cured tobacco grown
under open field planting on two soil types namely bris and alluvial soils. Apart from the
fertilizer application method utilizing the micro irrigation system, the other treatment used in
this experiment was combination of chemicals for soil treatment consisting of liming, pH
adjuster, trace elements and percolate. Except liming which was applied by broadcasting,
all other chemicals were applied through drip irrigation system.

Analysis of the data on method of fertilizer application indicated that fertigation through
surface drip irrigation significantly increase the yield of tobacco grown on both bris and
alluvial soils. The yield to fertilizer ratio for drip fertigation was much higher than those of
manually fertilized method on both types of soil. Higher ratios observed for drip fertigation
method on bris soil indicated that the method was more effective on bris soil than on the
alluvial soil. The lower electrical conductivity (EC) measured in the fertigated plots further
suggest that risk of fertilizer loss through leaching was minimum compared to the higher EC
for the manual method. The lower yield obtained from manually fertilized plots at much higher
EC indicated that much of the fertilizer applied by this method was lost into the soil.

This study also showed that incorporating chemical into the soil by utilising the micro irrigation
system, through drip chemigation method, produced 15% higher yield with the right combination
of liming, pH adjuster and fertilizer on bris soil. However, drip chemigation of showed no
added advantage for flue-cured tobacco grown on alluvial soil.

1
Rice and Industrial Crops Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43300 Serdang, Selangor
2
Mechanization and Automation Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43300 Serdang, Selangor

B-51
 7th International Micro Irrigation Congress

MICRO IRRIGATION FOR OPEN FIELD PLANTING: EFFECT OF SURFACE

DRIP FERTIGATION ON GROWTH
AND YIELD OF FLUE-CURED TOBACCO GROWN ON TWO SOIL TYPES

Wan Zaki, W. M.1 and C. H. Mohammud2

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of fertilizer application method (surface
drip fertigation versus manual application) on growth and yield of flue-cured tobacco grown
under open field planting on two soil types namely bris and alluvial soils. Apart from the
fertilizer application method utilizing the micro irrigation system, the other treatment used in
this experiment was combination of chemicals for soil treatment consisting of liming, pH
adjuster, trace elements and percolate. Except liming which was applied by broadcasting,
all other chemicals were applied through drip irrigation system.

Analysis of the data on method of fertilizer application indicated that fertigation through
surface drip irrigation significantly increase the yield of tobacco grown on both bris and
alluvial soils. The yield to fertilizer ratio for drip fertigation was much higher than those of
manually fertilized method on both types of soil. Higher ratios observed for drip fertigation
method on bris soil indicated that the method was more effective on bris soil than on the
alluvial soil. The lower electrical conductivity (EC) measured in the fertigated plots further
suggest that risk of fertilizer loss through leaching was minimum compared to the higher EC
for the manual method. The lower yield obtained from manually fertilized plots at much higher
EC indicated that much of the fertilizer applied by this method was lost into the soil.

This study also showed that incorporating chemical into the soil by utilising the micro irrigation
system, through drip chemigation method, produced 15% higher yield with the right combination
of liming, pH adjuster and fertilizer on bris soil. However, drip chemigation of showed no
added advantage for flue-cured tobacco grown on alluvial soil.

INTRODUCTION

Micro irrigation, such drip irrigation system, offers great potential for better growth and
productivity for crops grown on soils of low water holding capacity. One such soil is bris soil
which is not only has a low water holding capacity, but also has low fertility level. The use

1
Rice and Industrial Crops Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43300 Serdang, Selangor

2
Mechanization and Automation Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43300 Serdang, Selangor

1
7th International Micro Irrigation Congress

of micro irrigation on bris soil gives the opportunity for the fertilizer to be applied through
irrigation system, known as fertigation. On the other hand, alluvial soil which normally has
higher percent of clay and slit content has higher water holding capacity. This may influence
the rate of water penetration into the alluvial soil when the water is supplied through surface
drip irrigation.

Thus, a study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of two different methods of fertilizer
application, namely manual and drip fertigation) together with incorporation of chemicals
through drip chemigation for flue-cured tobacco grown on alluvial and bris soils.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Field experiments were carried out on two soil types in Telong, Kelantan (bris soil) and Jeli,
Kelantan (alluvial soil). Two fertilizer application methods were tested namely manual and
fertigation through surface drip irrigation system. The fertilizer in the manual method was
applied in three application during the first, third and fifth week after transplanting. The
fertilizer applied through drip fertigation was applied three times a week every Sunday,
Tuesday and Thursday. The fertilizer rate was equivalent to 140 and 100 kg N/ha for bris
and alluvial soils respectively.

The irrigation schedule for bris soil was three times a week for duration of 30 minutes each
time for the first two weeks after transplanting. This was followed by three times a week and
twice a day for duration of 30 minutes each from 3rd to 4th week. The irrigation frequency
was maintained at three times a week for the 5th and 6th week at a frequency of twice a day,
but duration was increased to 45 minutes each time. The schedule was maintained beyond
6th week after transplanting with duration per day increased to three times for 45 each time.
The fertigation for alluvial soil was set for two times a week throughout the experiment period.
The frequency perapplication day was two times from the beginning of the experiment until
7th week after transplanting. Due to frequent rainfall, the time per each fertigation was reduced
to 15 minutes. The system used for irrigation and fertigation is shown in Figure 1.

In this study, selected soil-incorporated chemicals were also included in combination to method
of fertilizer application. The chemicals consist of a pH enhancer (phE), soil texture modifier
(Percolate) and trace elements (TE) were tested. phE and Percolate were used in alluvial soils
while phE and TE were used for bris soil. phE was applied on second and fourth week after
transplanting for both soil types. Percolate was applied on third and fifth week after transplanting
for alluvial soil.

A randomized complete block design was used at both locations and all treatments were
replicated three times.

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7th International Micro Irrigation Congress

Figure 2. Effect of two different fertilizer application method on cured leaf

yield of flue-cured tobacco grown on bris and alluvial soils

When the yield was ccalculated into per unit of fertilizer, the ratio of yield to fertilizer was
higher for fertigation than the manual method in both soil types (Table 1). The finding showed
that drip fertigation was a more efficient method for applying fertilizer for flue-cured tobacco
for both bris and alluvial soils.
Table 1. Yield to fertilizer ratio for two methods of fertilizer application

Apart from higher yield and better yield to fertilizer ratio, Mohammud et al (2002) has
reported that drip fertigation also saves 40% irrigation water as compared to the sprinkler
irrigation method.

Closer analysis of the data from bris soil clearly showed that plants that received fertilizer
through fertigation is taller than those of the manually fertilized plant and produced significantly
higher yield (Figure 3).

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 7th International Micro Irrigation Congress

Figure 3. Relationship between plant height and cured leaf yield for
two method of fertilizer applicaton
A lower electrical conductivity (EC) recorded for drip fertigation compared to manual application
of fertilizer (Figure 4) has produced significantly higher yield in this study. Lower EC also
minimizes the risk of fertilizer loss through leaching. Higher EC values with significantly lower
yield for manually fertilizer application method suggested that some of the fertilizer applied
through this method was lost into the soil through leaching. Thus fertilizer placement, time
of application should be optimized to provide better access for the plant.

Figure 4. Electrical conductivity of soil solution at 15 cm depth from soil surface for
two fertilizer application methods, bris soil.

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7th International Micro Irrigation Congress

b) Effect of soil treatment

This study showed that incorporating chemical into the soil by utilising the micro irrigation
system, through drip chemigation method, produced 15% higher yield with a right combination
of liming, pH adjuster and fertilizer on bris soil. However, drip chemigation showed no added
advantage for flue-cured tobacco grown on alluvial soil.

This finding showed that soil treatment applied by drip chemigation method might be beneficial
for poor soil such as bris, but was of no benefit to alluvial soil.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that micro-irrigation such surface drip irrigation system could be optimized
for fertigation to produced significantly higher yield for flue-cured tobacco grown in the open
field of both bris and alluvial soils. Incorporating chemicals into the soil through micro-
irrigation, such as drip chemigation also capable of increasing the yield of flue-cured tobacco
grown on bris soil.

REFERENCE

Abd. Wahab, N, A.B. Othman and Y. Aminuddin. (1990). Bris soil-characteristics, constraints
and methods of improvement. Paper presented at the "Seminar Kebangsaan, Ex-
mining land and bris soil-prospects and prospectives” 15-16 October 1990, Kuala
Lumpur. Organised by Kejora Management Services Sdn. Bhd.

Mohammud, C. H., W. M. Wan Zaki, M. Kuan, M. Laughlin and J. Baker (2002). Drip
chemigation for tobacco on bris soil. Paper presented in Malaysian Society of Plant
Physiology Conference 2002, Melaka, 10-12 September 2002. Organised by MSPP.

Wan Zaki, W.M., S.L. Tan, A. Zaharah and J. Mohamed (2005). Drip fertigation and soil
amelioration in sweet potato production on bris soil. Paper presented at ISHS Second
International Symposium on sweet potato and cassava (2ISSC), Kuala Lumpur, 14-
16 June 2005