Association of Agrometeorologists

Effect of weather variability on growth and yield of wheat crop under semi-arid region of India

ANANTA VASHISTH, AVINASH GOYAL and P. KRISHANAN

For generating different weather conditions during various phenological stages, experiments were conducted on two varieties of wheat (HD-2967 and HD-3086) sown on three different dates at the research farm of IARI, New Delhi during rabi 2015-16 and 2016-17. Soil temperature, soil moisture, leaf area index, biomass, chlorophyll content, radiation interceptions were measured during different crop growth stages. Number of days taken for each phenological stage was observed and thermal time for different phenological stages were calculated. Results showed that first sown crop had higher value of crop growth parameters and yield as compared to second and third sown crop.HD-3086 had higher value of LAI, biomass and yield than HD-2967. Grain yield had significant positive correlation with growing degree days during grain filling stage. Soil temperature measured at 2.21 PMat 5, 10, 15, 20 cm depth had 1-5°C lower value than the air temperature. Soil moisture measured at 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm depths had slightly higher soil moisture for HD-3086 as compared to corresponding value in HD-2967 during emergence, flowering and grain filling stages. Percentage relative water content in HD-2967 was found to be higher in first sown crop followed by second and third sown crop. However, in HD-3086, percentage relative water content was found to be higher in first sown crop followed by third and second sown crop. Grain yield had significant positive correlation with relative water content during different phenological stages. HD-3086hadhigherradiation use efficiency as compared to HD-2967 in all weather conditions.

Leaf area index, biomass, radiationuse efficiency, relative water content, yield