Yield Performance and Moisture Extraction Pattern of Winter Crops Under Raided Condition in Gangetic Plains of West Bengal

Abstract

Experiments conducted in sandy loam soils in 1974-75 and 1975-76 revealed that a number of rabi crops can successfully be grown without irrigation. Straw mulch increased yields by 25 per cent. Amongst oilseeds saff- lower (Nag 7) and linseed, amongst pulses gram (B 108), field peas (B 22) and lentil (B 77) and amongst cereals barley (K 125) yielded 10, 8, 21, 13, 11 and 19 q/ha. The moisture extraction at lower soil depths by gram, peas and safflower was higher than in other crops. Barley with its fibrous roots utilised good amount of moisture conserved in top soil. The water use efficiency under rainfed condition was highest in barley (31 kg/mm) followed by gram (16.6 kg/mm). and peas (10 kg/mm), Establisment of crop with minimum tillage and straw mulch and weeding yielded as much as the treatment where crop was sown after proper tillage.