Abstract

Field experiments were conducted for five successive years on solc sunflower and sunflower + red gram intercropping system sown according to rainfall probabilities to understand behaviour of crops and cropping system in utilising thermal energy. The accumulated heat units and number of days for reaching various growth stages decreased with successive delay in sowing. The variation in accumulated heat units and number of days required for reaching various growth stages did not indicate any definite trend. The crop sown earlier received maximum thermal energy than later sown crop during all the year of experimentation. The heat units required to attain the harvesting stage marginally differ within the year under all sowing dates as evidenced from coefficient of variation.

Keywords: Crops, Rainfall, Thermal Requirements