No Gain Without Rain!!
All of you must have been eagerly waiting for rains? So am I and my crops in the field. Sarkari files tell me that this year’s June was the driest in 83 years (since 1926)! They also say that water levels in main 81 reservoirs of the country has halved only in time of one year. (37 to 16 billion cubic meter). I don’t know what will happen to my field and also 68 per cent of country’s fields which depend solely on monsoons. But what I do know for sure is....
|
 |
| Bitto Singh not singing |
Oh now they are telling me! I knew it when I saw that bird egret, which sits over my buffalo flying away. She left her roost, in search of another place of course where the monsoon would be better this year. But I cannot leave my Punjab just like that! But 60 per cent deficiency* in rainfall is just too much I tell you. Even Haryana is not getting rain. Very tough time! No water. No power. No crop. No money. You know! Next time I will find out where exactly does this egret go after leaving Punjab? Somebody told me Canada! |
 |
| Do & die for Ganpatrao Matte |
I moan because my life is on loan. If rains don’t come, I cannot bank upon anything else now. They say there is 31 per cent deficiency of rainfall in the whole Maharashtra state. But the percentage of impact of it on my cotton crops, and my neighbors groundnut crops will be definitely more. I was also told Andhra Pradesh’s rainfall is upto 50 per cent lower. Too bad for their turmeric crop! If the rains don’t come, where will we go I don’t know. I recall last year counselors in the village had told suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Are you sure the problem is temporary? |
 |
| Rupa praying hard, working harder |
Its all because the rain God Indra isn’t happy with us. Unless he showers us with blessings, we can’t have a crop. Uttar Pradesh is facing 40 per cent deficiency in rainfall. All sugarcane is at stake. It is time now for village’s women to get the yoke and plough the lands in the midnight. Don’t know who cast this dry spell over our village, only God can tell!
* When the departure of rainfall (difference between the actual rainfall and the normal rainfall) for any place is less by 20 to 59 per cent, the place is considered as deficient in rainfall. |
The two main crops grown in India are divided into Kharif and Rabi. They are Arabic words for autmn and spring respectively. Also the word Monsoon has roots in Arabic word Mausam meaning season. Surely hinting that agricultural expertise is as ancient as Indus Valley civilization to us when Arbia and India were part of the same sub continental culture.
Why does a plant need water?
Water is the medium to circulate nutrients within the plant. After roots absorb from soil, plant has to carry the nutrients against gravity to stem and fruits. This is possible when water loss from leaves’ surface creates a pull. Thus for movement of water within the plant, it has to be continuously lost too from the leaves. This process is called Transpiration. Also water has a natural tendency to turn into vapour in the air even at room temperatures, increasing further with heat. This process is called evaporation. The surface of soil and plants also lose water like this. Thus water need of a plant os also called evapotranspiration.
|
| |
Kharif |
Rabi |
| Sowing Time |
April-July |
October-February |
| Harvesting Time |
October |
June |
| Example |
Rice, Sugarcane, Groundnuts, Maize, and a variety of Pulses |
Wheat, Barley and a variety of Oil seeds |
| |
|
|
| Water need is measured in mm per day/month/season/total growing periods. The table enlists the water need of a crop over the total growing period. |
|
|
| |
Crop |
Crop water need
(mm/total growing period) |
|
Crop |
Crop water need
(mm/total growing period) |
 |
Banana |
1200-2200 |
 |
Pea |
350-500 |
 |
Barley/Oats/Wheat |
450-650 |
 |
Pepper |
600-900 |
 |
Bean |
300-500 |
 |
Potato |
500-700 |
 |
Cabbage |
350-500 |
 |
Rice (paddy) |
450-700 |
 |
Cotton |
700-1300 |
 |
Sorghum/Millet |
450-650 |
 |
Maize |
500-800 |
 |
Soybean |
450-700 |
 |
Onion |
350-550 |
 |
Sugarcane |
1500-2500 |
 |
Peanut |
500-700 |
 |
Tomato |
400-800 |
|
