Meteorological variables of crop phenophases impact on yield and yield
components of cotton (G. hirsutum L.)
Abstract
Cotton is an important cash crop. Its growth and development is
influenced by several environmental factors such as change in
temperature, amount and distribution of rainfall and carbon dioxide
concentration which attribute to climate change. A field experiment was
conducted to identify critical meteorological variables of the crop
growth stages of the standard weeks over deficit irrigation scheduling
on growth, yield and yield components of cotton during 2014 and 2015
kharif season. The experiment was laid out with three standard weeks/
sowing time (24, 26 and 28th) and four deficit irrigation schedules
(0.8, 0.6, 0.4 IW/CPE and rain fed) arranged in split plot design. Crop
growth parameters, yield, yield components and weather variables were
recorded during the study season. The analysis showed those
meteorological variables of crop phenophases significant, positive and
negative in correlation and regression with growth, yield and yield
components of cotton. Among the regressed variables, over 80% impact
was noticed for rainfall during square initiation growth stage; and
temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, pan evaporation, stress degree
day, and intercepted solar radiation during first flower; rainfall, pan
evaporation and relative humidity during boll opening growth stage.
Thus, it can be concluded that rainfall, maximum temperature, stress
degree day, minimum and maximum relative humidity and pan evaporation
were found to be significant for cotton growth, yield, and higher
quality returns.