Production potential, water productivity and economic feasibility of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) under deficit and adequate irrigation scheduling with hydrogel

An experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2013-14 to 2015-16 at Castor-Mustard Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar in the north-Gujarat agro-climatic region. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with 5 irrigation scheduling assigned to main plots and 3 hydrogel levels were allocated in sub-plot and replicated thrice. Irrigation scheduled at 0.8 IW/CPE recorded significantly higher growth and yield attributes, viz. plant height, number of primary branches/plant, number of siliquae/plant, number of seeds/siliqua and seed yield (2539 kg/ha) of mustard (Brassica juncea L.). Similarly, oil yield (945.8 kg/ha), monetary returns, production efficiency (19.7 kg/ha/day) and economic efficiency (560.4 (sic)/ha/day) were also recorded higher with the irrigation scheduled at 0.8 IW/CPE over rest of the treatments. Water productivity (8.66 kg/ha-mm) was the highest under irrigation scheduled at 0.6 IW/CPE as compared to remaining treatments. Among the hydrogel levels growth parameters, yield attributes, seed yield and oil yield improved with increasing level of hydrogel up to 5.0 kg/ha. The enhanced yield with 5.0 kg/ha hydrogel also resulted in higher production efficiency (15.0 kg/ha/day) and water productivity (8.46 kg/ha-mm).