70(4)2025 Influence of sowing regimes on wheat phenology and yield using Agroclimatic indices
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v70i4.6356Keywords:
Wheat, Solar thermal degree days, Hygro-thermal units and solar radiationAbstract
Wheat, a thermo-sensitive long-day plant, necessitates timely sowing to achieve optimal phenological development and enhance biomass production. Solar radiation and atmospheric humidity are vital factors affecting yield. Solar radiation is paramount as it directly supports photosynthesis, while relative humidity influences crop yield by modulating vapor fluxes. The present study was conducted to evaluate indices that offer critical insights into the crop phenology and yield responses of wheat varieties under varying sowing dates during the Rabi season of 2023-24. The experiment was carried out at the Research Farm, Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab. Three wheat varieties, namely PBW-826, PBW-766, and Unnat PBW-550, were sown in split-plot design on three different dates: 6th November (D1), 24th November (D2), and 12th December (D3). The findings indicated that wheat sown on 6th November exhibited the highest accumulation of Growing degree days GDD (1746.00 oC day) and hygrothermal units HGTU 116813 (°C day %) while wheat sown on 12th December acquired the highest accumulated solar thermal degree days 45933.86 (°C day MJ m-2) among the other dates to reach physiological maturity. Conversely, the crop sown on 24th November recorded the lowest accumulation of GDD and HGTU, while the early-sown crop exhibited reduced STDD accumulation. Among the sowing dates, wheat sown on 24th November resulted in superior grain yield and energy use efficiencies. Indices like Solar Thermal Degree Days (STDD), Hygrothermal Units (HGTU), and Growing Degree Days (GDD) are used to assess the impact of temperature, solar radiation, and humidity on crop phenology and yield. This helps optimize sowing time to enhance crop productivity.
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