Effects of integration of irrigation and fertilization(drip fertigation) on growth, fiber yield and quality of kenaf

ObjectiveThe effects of integration of irrigation and fertilization (drip fertigation) on growth, fiber yield and quality were studied by using a field experiment to investigate utilization properties of water and fertilizer for kenaf , in order to provide references for high-yield and high-efficient cultivation of kenaf . MethodHybrid kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) cultivar Hongyou 2 was used as material, 6 treatments of drip fertigation and CK were de-signed in field experiment. Three treatments T1,T2 and T3 took 100% irrigation (12.947 m3) with 100%, 75% and 50% fertilization, respectively; treatments T4, T5 and T6 took 80% irrigation with 100%, 75% and 50% fertilization, respectively; CK took 100% irrigation (16.183 m3) using furrow irrigation and 100% fertilization (264.00 kgN/ha, 88 . 04 kgP2O5/ha , 176 . 09 kgK2O/ha ) using broadcast . ResultThe results showed that , compared with CK , six treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 could significantly improve the growth and fiber quality of kenaf, the plant height , stem diameter , skin thickness , shoot dry mass , fiber yield and linear density were significantly increased by 13.2%-25.5%, 0.7%-1.4%, 10.6%-20.3%, 12.5%-30.9%, 15.1%-36.8% and 7.2%-30.7%, respectively. Out of six drip fertigation treatments , treatment T1 presented the best comprehensive effect , and followed by T5 and T2. Although the plant height, shoot dry mass, fiber yield and linear density of treatment T1 showed the highest, few sig-nificant differences were found as compared to treatment T5. The fiber strength of treatment T5 was higher than that of treatment T1 by using less irrigation and fertilizer. ConclusionAs to drip fertigation of kenaf, treatment T5 (80% irri-gation:12.947 m3, and 75% fertilization:198.00 kgN/ha, 66.03 kgP2O5/ha, 132.07 kgK2O/ha) could obtain better water-and fertilizer-saving effects and should be recommended to apply in production.