Development of thermo-based phenophasic model for predicting phenological stages of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) in central plains of Punjab

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 at Ludhiana, to evaluate the effect of temperature on phenological development of mustard crop grown on different sowing dates. 'Pusa Bold' Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. & Cosson] reached maturity in 131 to 156 days during the winter seasons of 1999-2000 and in 128 to 152 days during the winter season of 2000-2001 for different dates ofsowing. The thermal units required from emergence to complete vegetative growth ranged from 520 to 691 in the winter season of1999-2000 and 487 to 626 growing degree days in winter season 2000-01 with a coefficient ofvariation of13.5 %. Similarly, the thermal units required from sowing to reach physiological maturity ranged from 1433 to 1 814 in the winter season of 1999-2000 and 1428 to 1 815 growing degree days in the winter season of 2000-01 with a coefficient of variation of 10.9 %.