Bagalkot
Pearl millet 3rd week of June to 4th week of July 2. Green gram Last week of May to 3rd week of June 3. Maize 4th week of June to 1st week of August 4. Sunflower 3rd week of June to 2nd week of August 5. Soybean 4th week of May to 2nd week of June 6. Tur (red gram) 3rd week of June to 1st week of August
Groundnut and Sugarcane
Which are grown mostly irrigated were sown late up to the end of January. In Bagalkot district, sowing of Rabi season crops was done on 95% of the target area, and rabi sorghum was sown on 90% of the target area during the rabi season.
Table 15. Window of sowing opportunities for Rabi crops during 2011-12 in Bagalkot district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S.No District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1.
Bagalkot
Rabi Sorghum 3rd week of September to last week of October 2. Black gram Last week of September to 1st week of Nov 3. Sunflower 2rd week of September to 3rd week of October 4. Groundnut Last week of November to 4th week of January 5. Sugarcane 2rd week of October to 3rd week of February
2. Belgaum
In Belgaum district, seasonal rainfall variability was analyzed in relation to cropping season in Belgaum taluk and Ramdurga taluk for the year 2011-12. In Belgaum taluk the onset of rainy season was quite early but rainfall occurred was less than normal in the months of May, June and July. The rainfall was more than normal in August, September and October months resulting in higher crop productivity (Table 16) of long-duration crops. Cotton, soybean, maize and rainfed paddy were sown quite early in the second fortnight of May (Table 17).
Table 16. Seasonal normal rainfall and actual rainfall observed in taluks of Belgaum district during crop season 2011-12.
Taluk Month May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Belgaum Normal rainfall
(mm) 103.0 225.0 473.0 265.0 119 122.0 42.0
Rainfall 2011
(mm) 51.5 188.7 303.1 285.1 179.6 192.6 11.3 Ramdurga Normal rainfall
(mm) 63.0 68.0 68.0 58.0 117 98.0 27.0
Rainfall 2011
(mm) 91.7 83.1 140.1 113.7 90.3 95.0 0.0
Groundnut and green gram were late sown in the months of June and July. In the other side of the district, Ramdurga taluk received higher than normal rainfall during May, June, July and August contrastingly but receded in the later months from September to November resulting in lesser than normal rainy season and crop productivity. In Belgaum more than 150% of the target area earmarked for maize, soybean, groundnut and cotton were sown during the season as these are commercial crops of market importance.
Table 17. Window of sowing opportunities for Kharif crops during 2011-12 in Belgaum district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
No. S. District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1.
Belgaum
Cotton 15TH of May to July30 2. Soybean May 15TH to July 15TH
3. Groundnut June to July end
4. Maize May to July end
5. Rainfed paddy 20TH May to June end
6. Green gram June to 15TH July
7. Sorghum May to June
Table 18. Window of sowing opportunities during Rabi 201-12 for crops in Belgaum district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S No. District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity
1. Belgaum sorghum 1st week, October to 15th November 2. Chickpea 1st week, October to 30th November
Rabi season
In Belgaum, selected rabi crops are sorghum, chickpea and sunflower which were sown during the first week of October and almost completed by 15th November in most parts of the district (Table 18). Late sowings were done in the second fortnight of November. Over all a total of 68400 ha were sown to chickpea (90%) out of the target area of 76000 ha. Rabi sorghum and chickpea were sown mostly during first fortnight of October and sorghum in some cases was late sown in November also.
3. Bellary
In Bellary, major crops in kharif season were sorghum, maize, intercrop or sole crop pigeonpea, groundnut and sunflower. Seasonal rainfall variability and distribution was presented for Bellary and Sandur taluks to give an understanding of distributions and deviations from the normal rainfall (Table 19). Rainfall in June and July months was well above normal providing opportunity for farmers to take up sowing in time and to achieve good germination and plant stand.
The normal sowing window existed in June and July for sorghum, pigeonpea, groundnut and sunflower in red soil areas and delayed sowing of maize, groundnut and sunflower in July in Black soil areas (Table 20).
Overall, the area sown to crops exceeds 100% of the target area coverage with narrow deviations for individual crop targets.
Table 19. Seasonal normal rainfall and actual rainfall observed in taluks of Bellary district during crop season 2011-12.
Taluk Month May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Bellary Normal rainfall (mm) 51.9 48.4 48.9 62.8 131.4 107.7 32.1 Rainfall 2011 (mm) 18.1 84.4 74.9 39.4 46.7 154.1 33.5 Sandur Normal rainfall (mm) 85.6 90.4 124.7 124.7 143.4 138.7 35.9 Rainfall 2011 (mm) 106.0 85.5 241.7 163.0 20.4 110.2 15.2
Table 20. Window of sowing opportunities for Kharif crops during 2011-12 in Bellary district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project
S.
No.
District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1.
Bellary
Sorghum 4th week of May to 1st week of July 2. Maize 1st week of July to 1st week of August 3. Pigeonpea 4th week of May to end June,
extended to 4th week of July
4. Groundnut 1st week of May to end June (6 taluks), 1st week of July (1 taluk),
1st week of July to 4th week of July.
5. Sunflower 1st week of June to 4th week of July
Rabi season
Rabi sorghum, chickpea and safflower were the major post rainy season crops on black soils of Bellary district. Although, rainfall was deficit during August and September causing low stored soil moisture, well above normal rainfall in the month of October was quite helpful for farmers to complete chickpea (108%), sorghum (77%) and sunflower (45%) sowings with in the normal sowing window for these crops in the district (Table 21). Hence, it was possible to achieve an overall target area coverage of 93% in the rabi season for Bellary district.
Table 21. Window of sowing opportunities for Rabi crops during 2011-12 in Bellary district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S No District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1.
Bellary
Rabi sorghum 2nd week, September to 2nd week, October 2. Chickpea 2nd week, September to 2nd week, October 3. Safflower 2nd week, September to 2nd week, October
4. Bengaluru (Rural)
Major crops selected for productivity enhancement under Bhoochetana project were finger millet and maize in this district. Maize has been a prominent crop in Doddaballapur taluk, and finger millet (ragi) is a major crop in Hoskote, Devanhalli and Nelamangala. Hence, we presented seasonal rainfall for Doddaballapur and Hoskote taluks which are dissimilar in their normal rainfall pattern and relevant for major crop yield estimations and assessment by comparing improved management against farmers’ management.
Table 22. Seasonal normal rainfall and actual rainfall observed in Bengaluru (Rural) district during crop season 2011-12.
Taluk Month May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Doddaballapur Normal rainfall (mm) 8 75 100 126 159 166 65 Rainfall 2011 (mm) 123.6 49.5 80.5 192.8 25 157.3 24.3
Hoskote Normal rainfall (mm) 94 67 78 97 136 146 59
Rainfall 2011 (mm) 72.2 61.8 167.6 202 71.8 77.8 16.2
Table 23. Window of sowing opportunities for Kharif crops during 2011-12 in Bengaluru Rural district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S. No District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1. BengaluruRural Finger millet 2nd week July to 4th week August
2. Maize 2nd week June to 4th week July
Seasonal rainfall observed during May to November in Doddaballapur taluk was higher than normal in May (+116 mm) and deficit rainfall in the months of June (-26 mm), July (-20 mm) and was poorly distributed (Table 22). Although, monthly rainfall was much higher than normal in May (+1537%) and August (+53%), less than normal rainfall in June (-34%), July (-19.5%) and September (-84%) coincides with critical stages of crop growth based on sowing period (Table 23) and duration of crop. However, in August and November considerable amount of rainfall occurred and crop productivity might not have affected so much.
In Hoskote taluk, monthly rainfall was lower in May (-23%) and June (-8%), but was much higher in July (+115%), August (+108%) facilitated sowing of finger millet with good crop stand. Rainfall was deficit again in September (-47%), October (-47%), November (-72%)) compared to normal rainfall in these months. Less than normal rainfall caused much concern to finger millet farmers as it was affected by low rainfall during crop growing period especially for crop that was late sown in August.
5. Bengaluru (Urban)
Finger millet is the main crop during kharif in the urban surroundings of Bengaluru (U) district which comprise taluks of Anekal, Bengaluru East, Bengaluru North and Bengaluru South.
Table 24. Seasonal normal rainfall and actual rainfall observed in taluks of Bengaluru (Urban) district during crop season 2011-12.
Taluk Month Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Anekal Normal rainfall
(mm) 42.2 118.6 60.7 91.3 116.7 140.8 156 65.4 Rainfall 2011
(mm) 140 132.5 65.8 63.6 224 66.4 249 92.4 Bengaluru
North Normal rainfall
(mm) 46.6 112.5 75.1 111.5 139 165 164.3 62.3 Rainfall 2011
(mm) 277.6 150.5 57.7 92.7 278.2 111.1 162 49.9
Although, Anekal and Bengaluru North received higher than normal rainfall in April and May, traditionally farmers resort to finger millet sowing during July, a deficit rainfall month this year and August which received higher (+91 to +100%) rainfall than normal in these two taluks (Table 24), presented a sowing opportunity in both these months (Table 25).
Rainfall in the crop growing season was satisfactory and farmers expected good crop harvest of finger millet in this district.
Table 25. Window of sowing opportunities for Kharif crops during 2011-12 in Bengaluru Urban district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S. No. District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1. Bengaluru Urban Finger millet 1st July to 30thAugust
6. Bidar Kharif season
In Bidar district, black gram, green gram, pigeonpea, soybean and sorghum are the major crops selected for productivity enhancement under Bhoochetana project.
Table 26. Seasonal normal rainfall and actual rainfall observed in taluks of Bidar district during crop season 2011-12.
Taluk Month May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Aurad Normal rainfall
(mm) 26 142 218 201 165 75 20
Rainfall 2011 (mm) 25.7 65.5 424.2 262.7 90.7 8.7 0 Bidar Normal rainfall
(mm) 34 150 224 203 218 86 28
Rainfall 2011 (mm) 24.50 57.2 304.8 222.6 67.6 12.2 0
Table 27. Window of sowing opportunities for Kharif crops during 2011-12 in Bidar district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
No. S. District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1.
Bidar
Pigeonpea 4th week of June to 3rd week of July.
2. Green gram 4th week of June to 3rd week of July.
3. Black gram 4th week of June to 3rd week of July.
4. Soya bean 1st week of July to3rd week of July.
5. Sorghum 1st week of July to3rd week of July.
Aurad and Bidar taluks rainfall amount and distribution analyses are presented in Table 26.
In June, rainfall was less than normal in both the taluks, hence, sowing of legumes were delayed until end June. Soybean and sorghum sowings progressed until 3rd week of July (Table 27). Farmers preference to soybean increased as the area sown to this crop increased up to 160% of the target area for the crop as green gram (70%) and sorghum (75%) were less preferred in the season. Lower than normal rainfall in September (-45%, -68%) and October (-88%, -86%) in Aurad and Bidar respectively might have affected pod filling and maturity of soybean and pigeonpea. Green gram and black gram which are short season legumes, productivity would be higher due to good rainfall in July and August in all the taluks of Bidar.
Rabi season
Chickpea, safflower and rabi sorghum were the post-rainy season crops sown in the district.
These crops were sown in 86% of the target area for each crop and to the total target area.
This are crops were typically sown in a short period of sowing opportunity between the last week of September to 2nd week of October as the moisture recedes quickly in the absence of rainfall (Table 28). With less than normal rainfall in the months of September and October, and no follow up rains after the crops were sown, it is more likely that these post rainy season crop yields are low in this season.
Table 28. Window of sowing opportunities for Rabi crops during 2011-12 in Bidar district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S No District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity 1.
Bidar Rabi Sorghum 4th week, September to 4th week, October 2. Chickpea 4th week, September to 2nd week, October 3. Safflower 4th week, September to 2nd week, October
7. Bijapur
In Bijapur, maize, pearl millet, pigeonpea, green gram, sunflower and groundnut were the major crops selected for productivity enhancement activities under Bhoochetana project.
Sindagi and Bijapur taluks in Bijapur district was considered as representative taluks to summarize rainfall variability scenario in the district. In both the taluks the rainfall was lower than normal in June, July, September, October and November (Table 29).
During August, rainfall was higher than normal in Sindagi (+30%) and it was lower than normal in Bijapur (-20%). Since, the rainfall is lower than normal from the beginning of the season, target area sown was less than 66% for all crops except pearl millet which was sown in 100% of the target area (Table 30) by end June.
Table 30. Window of sowing opportunities for Kharif crops during 2011-12 in Bijapur district of Karnataka under Bhoochetana project.
S.No. District Major rainfed crop Sowing window of opportunity