Yield and Moisture Utilization Patterns of Dryland Crops Grown on Conserved Soil Moisture

Abstract

Studies carried out at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, on the yield and moisture utilization pattern of selected dryland crops grown on conserved soil moisture showed that barley (EB 3) and sarson (BSH 1) proved to be more efficient in terms of better yields and higher moisture use efficiency and also showed the lowest per cent mortality compared to gram (G 24), linseed (NP-RR9), lentil (L9-12) and wheat (Kalyan Sona). The moisture utilization patterns of these crops showed that sarson, barley, and gram extracted moisture from deeper layers (50-125 em) of the soil profile. Wheat proved to be the most inefficient crop in utilizing stored soil moisture under dry land conditions. Considering the yield potential and monetary returns, sarson is a better choice than barley when grown on conserved soil moisture on the drylands of North- Western India.