RATIONALIZED USE OF HARVESTED RUNOFF WATER THROUGH SKIP FURROW APPLICATION FOR HIGHER WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND GRAM PRODUCTION IN SOUTH- EASTERN RAJASTHAN

Abstract

THE POSSIBILITY OF WATER APPLICATION BY SKIP FURROW IRRIGATION TO GRAM AT 50% SOIL MOISTURE DEPLETION SHOWS THAT BY SKIPPING WATER APPLICATION IN TWO FURROWS AFTER EVERY IRRIGATED FURROW, THE HIGHEST WATER USE EFFICIENCY (84 KG SEED PER HA PER CM WATER APPLIED) WAS ACHIEVED. THERE WAS 65% SAVING IN WATER USE AND ONLY 18% REDUCTION IN YIELD AS COMPARED WITH ALL FURROW WATER APPLICATION. THE PROJECTED IRRIGATED AREA WAS 2.88 TIMES THE AREA WITH ALL FURROW APPLICATION FOR THE SAME QUANTITY OF WATER, INCREASING THE YIELD BY 136% OVER THE LATTER