Preliminary study on fertigation of Khiew Sawoey mango

A preliminary experiment was carried out in the mature Khiew Sawoey mango orchard at Phetchaburi Horticultural Experiment Station, Phetchaburi province, Thailand in 1998 to evaluate the efficient use of water soluble fertilizers through the irrigation stream (fertigation) using a simple and inexpensive injection pump operated by the Venturi principle. The trees were irrigated with minisprinklers wetting 75% of the under- canopy area. Three rates of fertigation, 300-125-375, 600-250-750 and 900-375-1125 g N- P₂O ₅-K₂O/tree/year were compared with broadcasting of 900-375-1125 g N-P₂O₅- K₂O/tree/year. Nutrient distribution through the soil profile, nutrient content, growth and yield of the tree were recorded. It was shown that with the same amount of fertilizer, fertigation tended to promote more efficient use of nutrients than broadcasting of fertilizer.