Microclimate: Diurnal Temperature Variation inside Crop Canopy of Pearl Millet under Different Sowing Environments

Abstract

The microclimate was evaluated for the pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] crop at different height inside the crop canopy. Field experiments were conducted during autumn seasons and temperature was measured at bottom, middle and top of the crop canopy at panicle initiation stage, boot stage, 50 per cent flowering, dough stage and physiological maturity stages from 09:00 in the morning to 05:00 in the evening. The temperature profiles indicates that lower temperature were recorded at the top of crop canopy as compare to bottom of crop canopy i.e. temperature inside the crop canopy was higher than at top of the crop canopy in all the treatments. Temperature profiles showed decreasing trend in temperature inside the crop canopy means temperature decrease with increase in height inside the crop canopy in all the treatments within the crop canopy in both the crop seasons. The maximum temperature was observed in afternoon hours and the minimum temperature was recorded in the morning hours.