INFLUENCE OF SOIL-MOISTURE ON GROWTH, WATER-USE AND YIELD OF MUSTARD

A field experiment was conducted to study the influence of soil moisture on growth, water use and yield of mustard (Brassica juncea L. cv. Rai 5). Two soil moisture regimes were rainfed and irrigated at 10 days interval throughout the growing season. The total amount of water received as irrigation was 110 mm and as rainfall was 15 mm. Total dry matter per unit ground area, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) were increased and leaf area ratio (LAR) and specific leaf area (SLA) were decreased by irrigation. Chlorophyll content and relative leaf water content (RLWC) were increased by irrigation, but proline content was greater in the rainfed crop at both the flowering and pod-filling stages. Time taken to first flowering, duration of flowering, number of seeds/pod and harvest index were unaffected by irrigation. Plant height at harvest, number of pods/plant, seed yield and oil content of seeds were increased and 1000-seed weight was decreased by irrigation. The consumptive use of water increased with an increase in water supply, but the water use efficiency (WUE) was decreased.