Agro Meteorological Indices Influenced by Varying Sowing Environment and Varieties of Wheat in Western Maharashtra Plain Zone

An agro-meteorological investigation was undertaken during rabi, 2016 and 2017 at Farm, Department of Agricultural Meteorology, College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra State (India). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The treatment comprised of four varieties viz. V1: NIAW-301 (Trymbak ) V2: NIAW-917 (Tapovan), V3: NIAW-1415 (Netravati) and V4:NIAW-1994 (Phule Samadhan) as main plot and four sowing windows viz., S1: 43rd MW (22-28 October), S2: 45th MW (5-11November), S3: 47th MW (19-25 November) and S4: 49th MW (3-9 December) as sub plot treatments. The agrometeorological indices indicated more values for 45th MW (5-11November) and 47th MW (19-25 November) sown wheat crops and lowest values in late sown crop. Days to crown root stage, tillering stage, ear emergence stage, 50% flowering stage, milking stage, dough stage and physiology maturity matched closely with observed values for all sowing environments. It revealed that the grain yields were significantly higher in NIAW-1994 (51.07 and 48.52 qha-1) and significantly superior to the rest of the wheat varieties. This was followed by NIAW-917(45.72 and 43.43 q ha-1), NIAW-301(43.57 and 41.27 q ha-1). The variety NIAW-1415 recorded significantly lower grain yield (40.89 and 38.84 qha-1) during 2016 and 2017, respectively. The grain yield was maximum at 47th MW sowing window (50.40 and 47.88 qha-1), the grain yield of 45th MW (47.94 and 45.42 qha-1) were at par with 47th MW sowing window. This was followed by 43rd MW sowing window (43.88 and 41.68 q ha-1), 49th MW sowing window (39.04 and 37.07 q ha-1) during 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Assessment of Crop Weather Relations in Wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Western Maharashtra Plain Zone

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a thermo-sensitive long-day crop. Temperature is a major determinant of its growth and productivity. Late sown wheat exposes preanthesis phenological events to high temperature that influence grain development and ultimately the yield [1]. Comprehensive assessments of the influence of climate variability on crop yields at local and regional scales can be highly beneficial. With an aim to assess the weather influences on wheat at local scale this study was taken up. An experiment was conducted at Department of Agricultural Meteorology Farm, College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra State (India) in a split-plot design with three replications and sixteen treatment combinations of four different varieties and four sowing windows. Four varieties used were NIAW-301 (Trymbak ), NIAW-917 (Tapovan), NIAW-1415 (Netravati) and NIAW-1994 (Phule Samadhan). Four sowings were taken up on 43rd MW (22-28 October), 45th MW (5-11November), 47th MW (19-25 November) and 49th MW (3-9 December). The grain yield of wheat was influenced significantly by wheat varieties. The grain yields were significantly higher in NIAW-1994 (51.07 and 48.52 qha-1) and significantly superior to the rest of the wheat varieties. This was followed by NIAW-917(45.72 and 43.43qha-1), NIAW-301(43.57 and 41.27 q ha-1). The variety NIAW-1415 recorded significantly lower grain yield (40.89 and 38.84 qha-1) during 2016 and 2017, respectively. Correlation analysis with weather parameters e.g. Temperature (Maximum and Minimum), Relative humidity (Morning and Evening), Rainfall and bright sunshine hours and yield showed that from tillering to 50% flowering stage, maximum temperature (-0.962*) was significantly negatively correlated with grain yield (r = -0.980**), (r =-0.950**) during 2016 and 2017, respectively in NIAW-301 (Trymbak ). The same trend was observed in the remaining varieties also. Regression equations were developed to predict the yield.

Thermal Indices Requirement of Kharif Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Varieties under Different Sowing Window in Western Maharashtra, India

An agro-meteorological investigation was undertaken during the kharif season of 2017 and 2018 at the Department of Agricultural Meteorology Farm, College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra State (India). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The treatment comprised of four varieties viz., V1: JL-501, V2: RHRG-6083 (Phule Unnati), V3: TAG-24 and V4: JL-776 (Phule Bharati) and four sowing windows viz., S1: 25rd MW (18th to 24th June), S2: 26th MW (25th June to 01st July), S­3: 27th MW (2nd to 8th July) and S4: 28th MW (09th to 15th July). Results showed that the higher GDD was observed in 26th MW sowing window with variety JL-776 (1826 and 1723) and RHRG-6083 (1763 and 1690) followed by variety JL-501 and TAG-24, whereas, higher heat use efficiency (0.088 and 0.100 g/GDD) at peg formation to rapid kernel growth stage was observed under 26th MW sowing window (S2) with variety JL-776 (V2) during 2017 and 2018, respectively. The highest HTU was observed in 26th MW sowing window in variety JL-776 (8254 and 6924) and RHRG-6083 (8171 and 7074) followed by variety JL-501 and TAG-24, whereas, higher heliothermal use efficiency (0.0200 and 0.0309 g/HTU) at peg formation to rapid kernel growth stage was observed under 26th MW sowing window (S2) in variety JL-776 (V2) during 2017 and 2018, respectively. Higher PTU (4818.42 and 4890.75) was observed under 26th MW sowing window (S2) in variety JL-776 (V2) this was followed by var. RHRG-6083, JL-501 and TAG-24 whereas, higher photothermal use efficiency (0.0284 and 0.293 g/PTU) at physiological maturity was observed under 26th MW sowing window (S2) with variety JL-776 (V2) followed by variety RHRG-6083, JL-501 and TAG-24 during 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Impact on Yield Attributes and Yields of Groundnut Varieties under Different Sowing Windows in Western Maharashtra, India

Present experiment was undertaken to study the “Impact of yield attributes and yields of groundnut varieties under different sowing windows in Western Maharashtra Plain Zone” at Department of Agricultural Meteorology Farm, Centre of Advanced Faculty Training (CAFT) in Agricultural Meteorology, College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra State (India). The experiment was laid out in split plot design comprised of four varieties viz., V1: JL-501, V2: RHRG-6083 (Phule Unnati), V3: TAG-24 and V4: JL-776 (Phule Bharati) as main plot and four sowing windows viz., S1: 25rd MW (18th to 24th June), S2: 26th MW (25th June to 01st July), S­3: 27th MW (2nd to 8th July) and S4: 28th MW (09th to 15th July) as sub plot treatments. The number of pods plant-1, weight of pods plant-1, 100 kernel weight (g), shelling (%) and yields as influenced by the different treatments were recorded at harvest. Yield contributing characters viz., number of pods-1 (45.25 and 43.29) and weight of pods-1 (12.99 and 13.82) were found significantly higher in variety JL-776 over RHRG-6083, JL-501 and TAG-24, whereas shelling percentage (75.12 and 76.60) were found significantly higher in variety TAG-24 followed by JL-501, JL-776 and RHRG-6083. Pod yield (26.59 and 28.14 q ha-1) and haulm yield (39.61 and 36.7 q ha-1) were significantly higher in JL-776 followed by RHRG-6083, JL-501 and TAG-24. Amongst all the groundnut varieties, JL-776 (Phule Bharati) is significantly superior under extended sowing windows followed by varieties RHRG-6083, TAG-24 and JL-501. Sowing during 26th MW was observed to be most suitable and optimum for groundnut considering the growth and yield attributes. This sowing window was at par with 27th MW sowing window.

Assessment of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Varieties under Various Sowing Windows for Crop Growth, Development and Yield in Western Maharashtra, India

The present experiment was carried out at Department of Agricultural Meteorology Farm, Centre of Advanced Faculty Training, College of Agriculture, Pune, MPKV, Rahuri for assessment of different groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties for crop growth, development and yields under various sowing windows in Western Maharashtra Plain Zone during the Kharif season of 2017 and 2018. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The treatment comprised of four varieties viz., V1: JL-501, V2: RHRG-6083 (Phule Unnati), V3: TAG-24 and V4: JL-776 (Phule Bharati) as main plot and four sowing windows viz., S1: 25th MW, S2: 26th MW, S­3: 27th MW and S4: 28th MW as sub plot treatments. From the result of the study, all the growth attributes were increased with the advancement in age of the groundnut crop. Plant height 35.27 and 33.34 cm, total number branches 11.34 and 10.55, total dry matter accumulation plant-1 34.36 and 32.11 g during both the years of experiment, which were found significantly higher in variety JL-776 over RHRG-6083, JL-501 and TAG-24. Among all the sowing windows 26th MW (S2) recorded the highest growth attributes viz., plant height (33.67 and 31.94 cm), total number of branches plant-1 (11.34 and 10.58 g) and total dry matter accumulation plant-1 (34.75 and 32.78 g) during both year of experiment. 26th MW sowing window was at par with the 27th MW sowing window with all growth attributes. Pod yield (26.59 and 28.14 q ha-1) and haulm yield (39.61 and 36.7 q ha-1) were significantly higher in variety in JL-776 followed by RHRG-6083, JL-501 and TAG-24. Pod yield (27.25 and 28.84 q ha-1) and haulm yield (40.60 and 37.61 q ha-1) was higher in 26th MW sowing window, which were at par with 27th MW sowing window during both the year.