Effect of improved fertilization on yields of watermelon and broadbean in Tibet
IPNI-2005-CHN-XZ3
Project Description
- Balanced fertilization research on grain crops of wheat and highland barley in Tibet was initiated only a few years ago but has gained excellent results and valuable information to guide rational fertilizer use in the region. However, the technology of proper fertilizer use on cash crops, the major source of farmers’ income, is still lacking. Under such circumstances, the local farmers, even ag-technicians, do not know how to fertilize cash crops such as watermelon and broadbean and thus, leads to rather low crop yield and poor income. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the optimal fertilizer rates for the two cash crops and further to provide guidance for proper fertilizer use by local farmers.
Results showed that improved fertilization increased broadbean (without inoculation) yield by 1148 kg/ha or 41.59% compared to the farmers practice (minus K) and by 938 kg/ha or 31.58% compared to the minus P treatment. The net income increase was $US 208 and $US192 for the improved treatment, respectively. Similarly, watermelon yield increase was measured as 11400 kg/ha or 48.78% and net income by $US 5676 compared to the farmers practice and as 9300 kg/ha or 36.58% and net income by $US 4614 compared to the minus P treatment. Due to rather low fertilizer rates of 94-38-38 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha used in 2005 as affected by the prevailing low fertilizer rates used in practice, the broadbean and watermelon yields can be further improved as the fertilizer rates are adjusted upward next years. Tibet-03