PREDICTION OF PEARL MILLER YIELD USING CROP WATER-BALANCE MODEL FOR DIFFERENT AGROCLIMATIC ZONES OF GUJARAT STATE

Water requirement satisfaction index (WRSI) was worked out using a cro p water balance (CWB) model in respect of pearl millet crop in various agroclimatic zones of Gujarat State. Different regression models were tried to find out a best fit model to predict and estimate pearl mill et productivity at different stations. The best fit curves explained v ariation in pearl millet yield ranging from a maximum of 94% at Jamnag ar to 57% at SK Nagar. A single equation could not predict yield at al l the stations, may be because of significant type of climatic conditi ons prevailing at each place. Statistical attributes like coefficient of determination (R(2)) and correlation coefficient (r) between estima ted and actual yield indicated that the concept of WRSI could be utili zed to predict pearl millet yield in low and erratic rainfall stations of Gujarat state.