Response of Irrigation and Mulching on Yield, Water Use Efficiency, Nutrient Use Efficiency and Economy of Mango Cv. Banganpalli in (Semiarid Region) Southern Telangana Region

An investigation was carried out on sandy loam soils of semi arid regions of southern Telangana to analyze the potential of drip irrigation along with mulch on mango fruit yield, water and nutrient use efficiency. The treatments of present study were comprised of two levels mulching (M0-without mulch and M1-with mulching), with silver Polyethylene of 100 micron thickness were used and two levels of irrigation (I1 -75% and I2 100% ETc through drip), here irrigation levels and mulching together constituting four treatment combinations with five replications under 2x2 factorial randomized block design and the treatment combinations are: I1M0-75% ETc + No mulching, I1M1- 75% ETc + with mulch, I2M0- 100% ETc + No mulching and I2M1- 100 % ETc + with mulch. The study revealed that drip irrigation 100% ETc along with silver polythene mulch showed better performance in terms of yield, water use efficiency, nutrient use efficiency as well as economics. Maximum yield of 89.11 kg tree-1 combination of 75 % ETc + with mulching has proven the maximum water use efficiency (5.54 g liter-1 water consumption) and fertilizers use efficiency (0.89 q kg-1 fertilizer application) however along with maximum net return of 400973. 90 rupees ha-1, net return of 346873.90 ha-1 per hectare and B: C ratio of 7.41 was recorded in I2M1 (100 % ETc + with mulch). So the experiment suggests that drip irrigation along with mulch has the potential to provide greater benefit by optimizing the use of water resources. But the interaction of 75 % ETc + with mulching has proven the maximum water use efficiency (6.28 g liter-1 water consumption).