Journal of Environmental Biology

Effect of deficit irrigation on yield and water productivity of sunflower in East and South-eastern coastal plains of Odisha

P.K. Sahu¹*, A.P. Sahu¹, P.S. Brahmanand², B. Panigrahi¹, D.M. Das³, B.C. Sahoo¹ and D.K. Swain⁴ 

¹SWCE, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, O.U.A.T, Bhubaneswar-751 003, India

²Agronomy, Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar-751 023, India

³Agricultural Engineering, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Gajapati-761 016, India

⁴ASM, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur-721 302, India

*Corresponding Author Email : pramit.sahu17@gmail.com

Received: 17.02.2020                                                                 Revised: 26.06.2020                                                      Accepted: 14.12.2020

Abstract

Aim: To study the effect of deficit irrigation on yield and water productivity of sunflower in East and South eastern coastal plains of Odisha.

Methodology: The present study on water productivity was undertaken using hybrid sunflower (Swathi: NSFH-145) with application of deficit irrigation having Management Allowable Deficit level of 20%, 40%, 60% and one farmers’ practice of 70% MAD level of irrigation. Growth attributes like leaf area Index, plant height, and head diameter were recorded at 20, 45, 65 and 80 days after sowing. Yield attributes like 1000 seed weight (test weight), above ground biomass and grain yield, were recorded after threshing.

Results: The growth, yield and water productivity of sunflower were significantly influenced by different irrigation levels. Irrigation scheduling at 20% MAD level showed the highest grain yield, while the lowest yield was obtained from the farmers’ practice. Irrigation at 60% MAD level showed the highest water productivity when compared with farmer’s practice as it produced the highest yield per unit quantity of water application of 0.85 kg m-3  and also produced the highest average benefit to cost ratio of 2.08.      

Interpretation: Taking the yield, water productivity and benefit-cost ratio into account, irrigation at 60% MAD level was found to be the best. However, irrigation at 50% to 60% MAD level may be suggested for growing sunflower under water scarce conditions in sandy loam soil for increasing water productivity.

Key words: Deficit irrigation, Maximum allowable depletion, Sunflower, Water productivity

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