Response of jujube cultivars to natural climatic variability under rain fed condition in arid zone.

Abstract

Arid zones all over the world are climatically constrained and ecosystems fragile ecosystem that support specialized and adapted plants species. Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.) or ber is one of such species which supports the livelihood of desert farmers. The jujube trees can tolerate high temperature (49-50oC) during dormancy, but flowering and fruiting are affected at temperature >35o C. During recent decade, there has been slight rise in temperature and decrease in relative humidity in September to November in Indian arid zone which led to reduction fruit yield. This study was made on an established orchard of 22 cultivars of jujube at 6x6m spacing in RBD replicated thrice. The orchard was maintained under uniform cultural practices and rain fed condition from 1991 to 2013 under natural climatic variability in respect of rainfall, temperature and relative humidity. These climatic parameters recorded for two decades i.e. 1991-2000 and 2001-2010 were related with fruit yield and regression equation developed. The fruit yield was found to be positively correlated with annual rain fall irrespective of varieties. The varieties Gola, CAZRI-Gola, Mundia, Maharvali, Illaichi and Tikadi maintained higher fruit yield under drought and low rainfall years. The developed regression equation could be used to predict fruit yield of a variety based upon rainfall. This was also validated by chi-square test.