Water Requirement of each Crop

Introduction

Water is one of the most important inputs essential for crops. It profoundly, influences photosynthesis, respiration, absorption, translocation and utilization of universal nutrients and cell division besides some other processes. Both it’s shortage and excess affects the growth and development of the plants, yields and quality of produce.

Although water is essential for crop growth. It’s requirement for each crop is definite. It may change according to the season (Kharif, Rabi or summer) or according to soil type (light, medium and heavy) but net requirement may not change. The total water requirements, critical stages of water application and number of irrigation turns through which this water is to be given have been decided by experimentation.

This information is given below: -

 

 

Season

  

 

Crop

Water requirement (cm)

No.

of turns

 

Critical Stages

I

Kharif

i

Rice

50

6

Tillering,Flower Primordia, Flowering

ii

Jowar

20

3

Boot stage,Grain Development

iii

Bajra

20

3

Boot stage, Grain Development

iv

Maize

30

4

Early vegetative growth, Tasselling

v

Pulses (Tur)

20

3

Flower Initiation, Pod filling

vi

Groundnut

40

5

Pegging to pod formation

vii

Sunflower/Soybean

25/25

3/3

Flowering, Grain filling/early seedling, Flowering, Pod development

viii

Chillies

40

5

Flowering, Fruit setting

ix

Cotton (Irrigated)

90

10

Commencement of sympodial branches, Flowering and boll formation

x

Onion

40

5

Bulbing

xi

Vegetables

40

5

Vegetative growth, fruit formation
         

II

Rabi

i

Wheat

40

5

Crown initiation, Grain development(milk stage)

ii

Gram

30

4

Preflowering, Flowering and Pod development

iii

Groundnut

60

8

  

iv

Sunflower

40

5

  

v

Safflower

40

5

Flowering, Branching

vi

Maize (Fodders)

60

8

  

vii

Vegetables

60

10

  

viii

Onion

60

10

  
         

III

Summer

i

Groundnut

80

10

 

 

ii

Sunflower

60

6

  

iii

Maize (Fodders)

80

10

  

iv

Vegetables

80

10

  

v

Onion

70

9

  
         

IV

Perennial

i

Sugarcane

    

Vegetative growth
 

a. Adsali

400

32

  
 

b. Suru

300

25

  

ii

Fodder crops

200

25

Vegetative growth
 

(Berseem
/Lucerne etc.)

80/180-200

    

iii

Banana

240

24

  

iv

Other fruits

200

25

Blossoming, Fruit formation, Fruit enlargemen


Ag.
Technologies
(Water Mgmt.)