Consumptive Use, Water Use Efficiency and Moisture Extraction Pattern of Summer Pearl Millet in Western Maharashtra as Influenced by Sowing Times and Irrigation Regimes

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during summer 2010 and 2011 at Water Management Project Farm, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Ahemadnagar, Maharashtra, India to find out appropriate sowing times and irrigation regimes for summer pearl millet. Twelve treatment combinations were investigated in this study: four with sowing times including D1 - 6th MW (5th - 11th February), D2 - 8th MW (19th - 25th February), D3 - 10th MW (5th - 11th March) and D4 - 12th MW (19th - 25th March) and the remaining three treatments were of irrigation regimes I 1 - 100 mm CPE, I 2 - 125 mm CPE and I 3 - 150 mm CPE. Irrigation water for all treatments was precisely supplied using Replouge flume. The consumptive use of water was more in 8th MW (394.2 mm) followed by 6th MW (391.0 mm) and 10th MW (382.2 mm). The consumptive use of water was more in 100 mm CPE irrigation regime (443.47 mm), followed by 125 mm (379.67 mm) and 150 mm CPE (321.0 mm) irrigation regime. Whereas, reverse trend was noticed for water use efficiency was more in 150 mm CPE (8.16 kg ha-1 mm-1) irrigation regime. The soil moisture extraction was more from middle soil moisture layer of 15-30 cm in 6th MW followed by sowing of crop in 8th, 10th and 12th MW during both the years. The soil moisture extraction from surface layer of 0-15 cm was more with 100 mm CPE irrigation regime owing to adequate moisture supply followed 125 mm CPE and 150 mm CPE irrigation regime during both the years. The sowing of summer pearl millet in 8th MW increased grain yield (30.09 q ha-1), consumptive use (394.16 mm) and net monetary returns (Rs. 25742 ha-1) while the 100 mm CPE irrigation regimes increased grain yield (29.48 q ha-1), consumptive use (443.47 mm) and net monetary returns (Rs. 23784 ha-1). Results indicated that 100 mm CPE irrigation treatment gave the highest crop yield, followed by 125 mm CPE and 150 mm CPE irrigation regimes treatments. Increasing water stress sharply decreased biomass production. Water use efficiency (WUE) was increased as inadequate water is supplied to crop (150 mm CPE irrigation regime). Results also proved that summer pearl millet sowing in 8th MW (19-25th February) and irrigating with 100 mm CPE irrigation regime treatment is a practical tool to harvest maximum crop yield, monetary benefits and water use efficiency.