Potassium nutrition differentially affect early growth and leaf greenness of shallot under micro sprinkle fertigation in dry land

Abstract

Potassium (K+) is an essential nutrition play great role on osmotic adjustment affecting plant growth. Maintaining adequate of Potassium could be drought mitigation in dry land. The field experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The treatment consisted of Potassium of 50,75,100,125, and 150 kg.ha-1 under micro sprinkle fertigation system and 100 kg.ha-1 as basal dose recommendation under conventional irrigation system as control. Result revealed that plant height and number of leaves varied significantly due to the various level of Potassium at four weeks after planting. Treatment of 50 kg.ha-1 of basal dose Potassium under micro sprinkle fertigation showed maximum of total dry matter at 24 days after planting as well as Absolute Growth Rate (AGR), Crop Growth Rate (CGR) and Relative Growth Rate (RGR) during 12 - 24 days after planting. Response of soil plant analysis development (SPAD) value as chlorophyll content showed an opposite trend of plant height, number of leaves, total dry matter, AGR, CGR and RGR.