Forecast Maize Phenology by Utilizing Thermal Indices under Foot Hills of Shivalik Conditions of Jammu and Kashmir
Sanjay Koushal *
KVK, Reasi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Main Campus Chatha, Jammu -180009, India.
Sharan S P
Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi-110012, India.
Bhim Singh
Division of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, India.
Priyanka Elumle
Department of Agronomy, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, Assam, India.
Hridesh Harsha Sarma
Department of Agronomy, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, Assam, India.
Bibek Laishram
Department of Agronomy, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, Assam, India.
Okram Ricky Devi
Department of Agronomy, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, Assam, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Field experiments were conducted at Farmer fields at different locations of Reasi district, of Jammu region during kharif seasons of 2017, 2018 and 2019 to predict the phenology based on thermal indices in maize crop. The maize crop sown under irrigated conditions matured about one week late as compared to rainfed conditions and took more accumulated thermal time and Heliothermal units in all the three years of study. The accumulated growing degree days (GDD) and Heliothermal units (HTU) were significantly differed among dates; whereas in case of spacings it differed non-significantly except at physiological maturity in rainfed conditions. Mean accumulated growing degree days and Heliothermal units taken by each phenophase were recorded and then used for prediction of phenological development of maize crop. Significant regression equations were observed between different phenological stages of maize and GDD & HTU with the accuracy in the range of 89 to 97 and 54 to 66 per cent, respectively.
Keywords: Maize, irrigated, rainfed, spacing, phenology, growing degree days, heliothermal units