Performance of castor (Ricinus communis) genotypes with normal and delayedseeding under irrigated and rainfed conditions

An experiment was conducted during rainy season (kharif) 1991 with 9 genoty pes ('RCP 5-2', 'Aruna', 'HC 6', 'HC 8', 'VP 1', 'JI 35', '48-1', 'Sowbhagy a' and 'JM 6') of castor (Ricinus communis L.) along with a control ('GCH 4 '), differing in plant stature and duration under 2 dates of seeding (28 Ju ne 1991 and 6 September 1991) each under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Reduction under rainfed conditions was higher for stem height, diameter and internode length than under irrigated conditions in early genotypes. The r eduction was much higher for medium and late duration genotypes. Node numbe r remained unchanged under both the situations, Under late-seeded condition s increase in stem height but decrease in diameter was observed. No differe nce in days to flowering was observed for the genotypes sown on 28 June 199 1 between irrigated and rainfed conditions, but for the genotypes sown on 6 September 1991 the flowering extended with late duration variety 'JM 6' pr oducing no tertiaries. Though there was significant reduction in both numbe r and green area of the leaves, only few varieties like 'JI 35' and 'Aruna' maintained large leaf area even under rainfed conditions under both normal and delayed seedings. The stem and leaf weight in varieties like 'JI 35', 'Aruna' and '48-1' was high under irrigated conditions and these varieties maintained their superiority even under rainfed conditions. The study indic ated that different varieties gave high yield through different yield compo nents; though capsule number, capsule weight and seed number were the major components under both irrigated and rainfed situations. A total yield redu ction of 49% was observed while oil content was least influenced by the str ess conditions.