DETERMINATION OF CROP GROWING PERIOD IN ARID AND SEMIARID REGIONS OF RAJASTHAN

Simple criteria has been used for determination of Crop Growing Period (CGP) in arid/semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, based on information ab out soils, crop water requirement and assured rainfall of the region. Through the soil-water budgeting of long term rainfall in relation to crop water requirement, the assured CGP at selected locations of Rajas than was worked out using a computer programme. The assured CGP thus a nalysed varied from 3 to 13 weeks under shallow soils and from 5 to 15 weeks under deep soils. A test analysis of CGP- pearl millet grain re lationship for the arid region of Jodhpur district is also presented.