Integrating Automated Drip Irrigation and Organic Matter to Improve Enzymatic Performance and Yield of Water Efficient Chilli in Karst Region

Karst landscape, characterised by drought-prone areas, limited water retention and nutrient-poor soils, pose significant challenges for the sustainability of small-scale agricultural systems. This study investigated the impact of smart precision irrigation (SPI) technology, which integrates drip irrigation (DI) and organic fertilisation, on the growth, physiological performance and water use efficiency of chilli plants cultivated in a karst landscape in Gunungkidul District, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This experiment involved a combination of drip irrigation (D), non-drip irrigation (ND), organic fertiliser (F), and no fertiliser (NF), with a semi-automatically installed SPI system to monitor and adjust soil moisture and watering requirements. The results showed that the combination of drip irrigation and organic fertiliser (D + F) significantly increased plant growth parameters, including plant height, leaf area, and chlorophyll content, and improved physiological traits such as photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and leaf water use efficiency (LWUE). These improvements were attributed to the optimised water distribution and nutrient availability provided by the DI system, which minimised water loss and reduced drought stress, as evidenced by lower proline accumulation and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity in plants. In addition, the D+F treatment resulted in the highest biomass production, fruit yield and water use efficiency, underlining its potential as a sustainable agricultural practice in water scarce karst environments. The study concludes that adopting organic matter irrigation and fertilisation strategies can improve the productivity and resilience of horticultural crops in areas facing similar environmental constraints.