Effect of date of sowing and rainfall on sustainability of yield and rainwater use efficiency in cereal crops under arid alfisols

B.sahadeva Reddy B.Sahadeva Reddy,C.radha Kumari C.Radha Kumari,G.r.maruthi Sankar G.R.Maruthi Sankar,B.ravindranatha Reddy B.Ravindranatha Reddy,A.malliswara Reddy A.Malliswara Reddy,Y.ashoka Reddy Y.Ashoka Reddy

doi:10.54386/jam.v21i2.234

B.sahadeva Reddy B.Sahadeva Reddy, C.radha Kumari C.Radha Kumari + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.54386/jam.v21i2.234

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Abstract

An assessment of the effects of date of sowing and crop seasonal rainfall on the sustainability of yield and rainwater use efficiency (RWUE) of sorghum, pearl millet and foxtail millet sown on five dates at 15 days interval from first fortnight of June to first fortnight of August during 2009 to 2014 under arid Alfisols at Anantapur has been made in this paper. A suitable date of sowing has been identified for each crop based on the relationships sorghum equivalent yield with crop seasonal rainfall and crop growing period observed in the 6-year study. The yield was significantly influenced by the variation in the crop seasonal rainfall and crop growing period when sown on different dates of sowing. It was significantly higher when crops were sown with the onset of monsoon in the first fortnight of June, and decreased with the subsequent sowings. Among crops, sorghum attained maximum mean yield of 923 kg ha-1 with RWUE of 2.73 kg ha-1 mm-1; while pearl millet attained mean yield of 873 kg ha-1 with RWUE of 2.95 kg ha-1 mm-1 and foxtail millet attained mean yield of 646 kg ha-1 with RWUE of 1.64 kg ha-1 mm-1 when sown during first fortnight of June. Based on the ranks assigned to the yield attained on different dates of sowing in different years, pearl millet was superior for sustaining maximum yield and RWUE comparedto sorghum and foxtail millet under arid Alfisols at Anantapur.

Highlights

Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University, Anantapur –515001, Andhra Pradesh, Agricultural College, Rajamahendravaram, East Godavari Dist-533103, Andhra Pradesh
The crop seasonal rainfall received during the crop growing period in the first fortnight of June gave maximum mean yield (923 kg ha -1), followed by first fortnight of July (901 kg ha -1), second fortnight of June (878 kg ha -1), second fortnight of July (565 kg ha -1) and first fortnight of August (256 kg ha -1) dates of sowing
Based on field experiments conducted with sorghum, pearl millet and foxtail millet on 5 dates of sowing during to 2014 under arid Alfisols at Anantapur, a suitable date of sowing has been identified for attaining maximum rainwater use efficiency and sorghum equivalent yield in different years

Summary

Introduction

Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University, Anantapur –515001, Andhra Pradesh, Agricultural College, Rajamahendravaram, East Godavari Dist-533103, Andhra Pradesh. The yield was significantly influenced by the variation in the crop seasonal rainfall and crop growing period when sown on different dates of sowing. It was significantly higher when crops were sown with the onset of monsoon in the first fortnight of June, and decreased with the subsequent sowings. Based on the ranks assigned to the yield attained on different dates of sowing in different years, pearl millet was superior for sustaining maximum yield and RW UE compared to sorghum and foxtail millet under arid Alfisols at Anantapur.

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