aAgricultural Research Station, Tornala 502 114, Telangana state, India
b(SSAC), AICRP on STCR scheme, Rajendranagar, Telangana state, India
c(Pl. Br.), Maize Research Center, Rajendranagar, Telangana state, India
d(Agro.), Retd., Main Farm, ARI, Rajendranagar, Telangana state, India
eProfessor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030, Telangana State India
fCollege of Agriculture, Mojerla, (Sri KondaLaxman Telangana State Horticultural University), Mahabubnagar district, Telangana, India
gAICRP on Integrated Farming System, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030, Telangana state, India
Corresponding Author Email: avr_agron@rediffmail.com
DOI : https://doi.org/10.58321/AATCCReview.2024.12.01.156
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Abstract
The quantity and quality of irrigation water is declining day by day considerably across
India. To utilize this available water efficiently, there’s a need to grow suitable drought
resistant crop cultivars with a greater tolerance to salinity/alkalinity. Hence, a pot culture
study was carried out during 2014-15 and 2015-16 to evaluate the response of five popular
Indian castor hybrids to irrigation water with varying EC levels of 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 dSm -1 and the
best quality non-saline water (0.2 dSm -1 ), in a factorial completely randomized design (CRD)
with two replications. The results indicated that among hybrids, PCH-111 (4.48 g plant -1 )
being at par with DCH-519 (4.24 g plant -1 ) and DCH-177 (4.25 g plant -1 ) produced
significantly higher seed yield plant -1 and was higher by 23.4 and 34.5% over YRCH-1 (3.63
g plant -1 ) and GCH-7 (3.33 g plant -1 ). The growth of castor was gradually suppressed with an
increase in water salinity. The seed yield plant -1 (4.50 g plant -1 ) was significantly greater with
the best quality water (ECw: 0.2 dSm -1 ) followed by ECw4.0 dSm -1 (4.05 g plant -1 ) beyond
which a significant decline in seed yield was registered. Thus, irrigation water salinity of 4.0
dSm -1 can be considered as the threshold level for irrigation water for satisfactory growth and
yield of castor.The post harvest soil pH, EC and available N were significantly greater with
the highest water salinity (ECw: 8.0 dSm -1 ). Shoot length and dry matter were highly and
positively correlated with the seed yield of the castor.