SOME SIMPLE CROP PRODUCTION PRACTICES FOR EFFICIENT EXPLOITATION OF SEASONAL ABERRATIONS IN RAINFALL IN RAINFED RABI BELT OF BELLARY

Abstract

THE DEGREE OF RESPONSE TO PLANT DENSITY IN WINTER SORGHUM AND SAFFLOWER VARIED SIGNIFICANTLY DEPENDING ON SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN RAINFALL PATTERN AND THE QUANTUM OF RESIDUAL MOISTURE AVAILABLE FOR CROP GROWTH, SIE OF OPTIMUM PLANT POPULATIONS AND THE MAGNITUDE OF PRODUCTION LEVELS REALIZED WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER UNDER CONDITIONS OF ADEQUATE MOISTURE THAN THOSE RECORDED IN SUB NORMAL SEASONS. SAFFLOWER SHOWED LIMITED RESPONSE TO PLANT DENSITY UNLIKE JOWAR DUE TO ITS MULTIPLE BRANCHING. GENOTYPIC DIFFERENCES IN THEIR RESPONSE TO PLANT DENSITY UNDER DIVERSE SEASONAL CONDITIONS WERE HIGHLY DISTINGUISHED IN SORGHUM. THE FREQUENCY AND AMOUNT OF RAINFALL RECEIVED DURING EARLY CROP GROWTH PERIOD RATHER THAN ANTECEDENT RAINFALL PRIOR TO SEEDING WAS OBSERVED TO BE OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE IN DETERMINING BOTH THE YIELD LEVELS AND THE DEGREE OF RESPONSE TO PLANT DENSITY BECAUSE OF POOR AND UNCERTAIN KHARIF RAINFALL. MID SEASONAL CORRECTIONS IN PLANT POPULATIONS WERE SUGGESTED.