Abstract:
This study investigated the effect of irrigation frequency on the growth and yield of
radish plants under two different basal fertilizer treatments which were chemical
lertilizer and compost. This experiment was carried out in the Faculty of Technology
of the Eastern Universiry Sri Lanka to assess the potential of water interval and
fertilizer use on radish cultivation and its growth and yield. It was carried out in a
factorial complete randomized design with six treatments. Each treatment was
replicated six times. The experiment was conducted with three irrigation intervals:
daily,2-day and 3-day irrigation intervals. The results showed that irrigation frequency
significantly affected various growth parameters and yield components of radish
plants. Compost-treated plants showed optimum results with irrigation at a T-day
interval and the highest values were obtained for the plant height (21.79+0.51 cm),
number of leaves (8) and leaf area (2I.79+0.51 cm2), fresh weight of the leaves
(70.57+3.62 g), dry weight of the leaves (8.99+0.32 g), fresh u'eight of tuber
(139.50+7,35 g), dry weight of tuber (10.04+0.48 g), tuber length (22.93+1.17 g) and
tuber girth (12.50+0.53 cm) and yield (46.50*2.45 t/ha). Similarly, chemically
fertilized plants irrigated with an inigation intervai of 2 days resulted in the highest
plant height (19.96+0.62 cm), number of leaves (7), leaf area (19.96+0.62 cm2), fresh
weight of leaves (59.90i.6.32 g), dry weight of leaves (7.80+0.32 g), fresh weight of
tuber(113.22+6.13 g),dryweightoftuber(;.32+0.60g),tuberlength(19"6510.91 cm)
and tuber girth (10.27r.0.61 cm) and yield (37.74+2.04 t/ha). Statistical analyses
confirmed significant effects of both fertilizer type and irrigation frequency on the
measured parameters (P<0.05), with compost treatments generally higher than
chemical fertilizer treatments. The findings of this research demonstrate the critical
role of irrigation frequency in optimizing the growth and yield of radish plants. In
particular, a 2-day irrigation interval system with compost and chemical fertilizer
treatments is more effective in improving growth parameters and yield components.
Compost-treated plants showed superior groMh and high yieids compared to chemical
fertilizers under the same irrigation conditions. Thus, to maximize the productiviry- of
radish plants, it is recommended to apply compost with an irrigation schedule of 2-
day. Further research couid further explore the underlying mechanistt:s that contribute
to compost-treated piants' enhanced performance under optimal iriigation freciuencies.
