Enhance mustard [Brassica juncea(L.) Czern and Coss] productivity through sprinkler irrigation under north Gujarat conditions

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2010–11 to 2012–13 at Centre for Natural Resources Management, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to test the effect of irrigation regimes (four levels of irrigation viz., sprinkler irrigation with 0.6 (I1), 0.8 (I2) and 1.0 (I3) IW/CPE ratio and surface irrigation with 1.0 IW/CPE (I4) as control on productivity and economics of mustard. Among the irrigation regimes, scheduling irrigation at an IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 through sprinkler significantly enhanced all the growth (except plant height) and yield attributes. Mustard irrigated at IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 recorded significantly the highest seed yield over surface method of irrigation in all the years and in pooled results also, whereas the highest water use efficiency of 4.56 kg/ha-mm was observed with IW: CPE of 0.60 and gradually decreased with higher irrigation schedules. Irrigation at 0.60, 0.80 and 1.00 IW: CPE ratio increased the seed yield by 3.99, 15.73 and 25.47% over control (surface irrigation), respectively. Net returns and BCR increased markedly with increase in irrigation regimes from an IW: CPE ratio of 0.60 to 1.00. Irrigation at 0.80 and 1.00 IW: CPE ratio increased the net returns by 34.45 and 19.20% over that with the 0.60 ratio, respectively. The highest production efficiency of 13.56 kg/ha/day, profitability of 258.03 kg/ha/day and relative economic efficiency of 10.26% were recorded under sprinkler irrigaion at 1.0 IW/CPE.