Phenological and biochemical response of mustard genotypes under irrigated and rainfed conditions

A field experiment was carried out during the Rabi season of 2023-24 at the experimental farm of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Linseed and Mustard and the Agricultural Botany Section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur. The objective was to evaluate the performance of sixteen Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) genotypes namely ACN 231, ACN-237, ACN-248, ACN-258, ACN-264, ACN-281, ACN-285, ACN-294, ACNMM-32, ACNMM-40, ACNMM-55, ACNMM-62, TM 308-1(YS), Kranti, BIO-902, and TAM-108-1 under two different sowing environments: irrigated and rainfed. The study followed a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications. Observations were recorded on phenological traits (such as days to 50% flowering), biochemical parameters (including total chlorophyll content at 45 and 75 DAS, proline accumulation at 60 and 75 DAS, and seed oil content post-harvest), and yield-related characteristics (such as siliquae density, number of siliquaeplant-1,1000-seed weight, and seed yield). Among all genotypes, ACN-237 consistently showed superior performance across both moisture regimes, exhibiting favorable values in phenological, biochemical, and yield traits. Similarly, ACN-294 and ACNMM-55 also outperformed most genotypes under both irrigation treatments, indicating their adaptability and suitability for diverse cultivation conditions.