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Water and Irrigation

Water and Irrigation

Irrigation of the crop increases the production substantially. No of irrigation of wheat crop depend upon the available moisture in the soil, type of soil, climatic conditions, duration of cropping period etc. Wheat crop requires 44-46 cm of water and it needs water when available soil moisture percentage falls below 50- 60% of field capacity. The researches indicate that wheat crop requires 5 to 6 irrigations for good grain production, at their critical growth stages, viz. crown root initiation stage, tillering stage, late jointing stage, flowering stage, milky stage and dough stage which come at 21 to 25 days after sowing (DAS), 45 – 60 DAS, 60-70 DAS. 90- 95 DAS, 100- 105 DAS and 120-125 DAS respectively. Among all these stages sufficient soil moisture at crown root initiation stage is most critical for proper germination and delayed irrigation at this stage of every day result in reduction of 1.4% grain yield per day. Two or three extra irrigation are given where the soil are very light and sandy. If water is available the irrigation should be done at the mentioned stages but if the facilities are not available then irrigation should be done at crown initiation stage one has to irrigate at the following stages which are most important. It has also been noticed that if any of the following irrigation is delayed or missed the yield is reduced to the extent of five to ten quintal per hectare:

 A. Crown initiation stage         -  between 25-30 days after sowing (DAS)
 B.Flowering stage                    -  between 60- 75 days after sowing (DAS)
 C.Milky stage                             -  between 90-110 days after sowing (DAS)

According to availability of irrigation water it may be scheduled as follows:

One     Two     Three     Four     Five
CRI (21DAS)     CRI (21) Boot (75 DAS)     CRI ( 21DAS) Tillering (45 DAS)Boot (75 DAS)     CRI (21 DAS) tillering (45 DAS), Boot (75 DAS) and Milk stage (100)     CRI (21 DAS), Tillering (45), jointing (65), Flowering (85 DAS), and milk (100 DAS)

Thus if a farmer affords to give one irrigation he should give it at CRI, if two then at CRI and Boot, and if three then at CRI, tillering and Boot and so on according to the above schedule. Under rainfed condition the available soil moisture should be harvested by less tillage and sowing season adjustment such as post-kharif or pre-rabi season in Sikkim. Generally wheat is irrigated in Sikkim in the paddy field by flooding method and in other than paddy field wheat is irrigated by a sprinkling method.