Enhancing water use efficiency in cumin (Cuminum cyminum L)

Abstract

An investigation on enhancing water use efficiency in cumin was carried out during Rabi season of 2010-11 at the research farm of National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Ajmer (Rajasthan). The experiment comprising of three irrigation methods viz. flood, high pressure drip and low pressure drip in the main plots and four water conservation methods viz. mulching, low plastic tunnel, mulching + low tunnel and control in sub plots was conducted in split plot design with three replications. Based on one year study it reveals that the application of irrigation through low pressure drip exhibited highest level in growth parameters and yield attributes viz., umbels/plant (9.80), umbellate/plant (45.40), seed weight/plant (5.85 gm), test weight (4.36 gm) and yield (671.30 kg ha-1) with maximum water use efficiency (2.66 kg ha-1-mm ) followed by high pressure drip irrigation. Among the various water conservation techniques mulching with 20 micron plastic sheet exhibited highest plant height at all the growth stages, branches/plant at maturity, umbellate/plant (46.73), test weight (4.62 gm), seed weight (5.74 gm plant-1) and yield (684.16 kg ha-1). Thus the result indicates that application of irrigation through low pressure drip irrigation and conservation of moisture by mulching with 20 micron plastic sheet is better for realizing higher growth, yield and water use efficiency