Forecast Maize Phenology by Utilizing Thermal Indices under Foot Hills of Shivalik Conditions of Jammu and Kashmir

Field experiments were conducted at Farmer fields at different locations of Reasi district, of Jammu region during kharif seasons of 2017, 2018 and 2019 to predict the phenology based on thermal indices in maize crop. The maize crop sown under irrigated conditions matured about one week late as compared to rainfed conditions and took more accumulated thermal time and Heliothermal units in all the three years of study. The accumulated growing degree days (GDD) and Heliothermal units (HTU) were significantly differed among dates; whereas in case of spacings it differed non-significantly except at physiological maturity in rainfed conditions. Mean accumulated growing degree days and Heliothermal units taken by each phenophase were recorded and then used for prediction of phenological development of maize crop. Significant regression equations were observed between different phenological stages of maize and GDD & HTU with the accuracy in the range of 89 to 97 and 54 to 66 per cent, respectively.