Irrigation Management

Irrigation Management :: Cumbu

Cumbu (Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br. )

Irrigation to the Seed Bed

i.	Provide one inlet to each unit of 6 plots to allow water in the channels.
ii.	Allow water to enter the channel and rise up in it. Turn off the water when the raised bed is wet.
iii.	Irrigate as per the following schedule.
Light Soil			Heavy Soil
1st		immediately after sowing	Immediately after sowing
2nd		on 3rd day after sowing	On 3rd day after sowing
3rd		on 7th day after sowing	On 9th day after sowing
4th		on 12th day after sowing	On 16th day after sowing
5th		on 17th day after sowing

Main Field

Forming Ridges and Furrows/beds

i. Form ridges and furrows (using 3 ridges) 6 m long and 45 cm apart. If pulses are intercropped, form ridges and furrows 6 m long and 30 cm apart.
ii. If ridge planting is not followed, form beds of the size 10 m2 or 30 m2 depending upon water availability.
iii. Form irrigation channels.
iv. To conserve soil moisture under rainfed condition, sow the seeds in flat and form furrows between crop rows during intercultivation on third week after sowing.

Water Management

STAGES	Days after transplantation/sowing
STAGES	Transplanted Crop	Direct Sown Crop
Light Soils
i. Germination	1st day after transplanting	1st day after sowing
i. Germination	4th day	4th day
ii. Vegetative phase	15th Day	17th day
ii. Vegetative phase	28th day	30th day
iii. Flowering phase	40th day	42nd day
	52nd day	55th day
	65th day	68th day
iv. Maturity phase	77th day	79th day
Total	8 irrigations	8 irrigations
Heavy Soils
i. Germination	1st day after planting	1st day after sowing
i. Germination	4th day	5th day
ii. Vegetative phase	15th day	15th day
ii. Vegetative phase	28th day	30th day
iii. Flowering phase	42nd day	45th day
iii. Flowering phase	54th day	57th day
iv. Maturity Phase	66th day	70th day
Total	7 irrigations	7 irrigations

NOTE: This is only a guideline and the irrigation schedule is to be adjusted depending upon the prevailing weather conditions.

Updated on : 2013