Effects of Microclimate on Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Cultivars Grown under Different Dates of Sowing under Semi-Arid Regions of Haryana

Field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2016-17 and 2017-18 to study the microclimate over barley cultivars viz. , V1-BH 393, V2-BH 902, V3-BH 946 and V4-BH 885 at different growth stages, sown under different growing environments, viz. D1- 3rd November; D2- 18th November; D3- 3rd December and D4- 19th December. The experimental results revealed that D1 sowing date of barley crop absorbed more PAR at vegetative phase; the reflection of radiation and transmission of radiation was highest at physiological maturity whereas, transmission of radiation was higher at D4 sowing date during both the crop seasons. However, among varieties the above results found at par at all growth phases. The net radiation (Rn) and latent heat of vaporization (LE) were higher at anthesis whereas; Soil heat flux (G) and sensible heat flux (A) was highest at physiological maturity among varying growing environments. The higher Tc was observed at physiological maturity on 14: 00 hour during both crop seasons. The canopy temperature varied between 11.8-26.4oC at vegetative, 12.7-33.8oC at anthesis and 17.6-35.1oC at physiological maturity phases among varying dates of sowing and cultivars sown during both the crop seasons, respectively. The maximum value of temperature profile was recorded at physiological maturity, because of less ground area covered by the crop whereas, the higher temperature was recorded during crop season 2016-17 as compared to 2017-18 at all phenophases. The temperature varied between 14.0-28.4oC at vegetative, 15.1-30.3oC at anthesis and 13.4-44.8oC at physiological maturity phases and the relative humidity varied between 38.1-96.6 % at vegetative, 45.0-88.6 % at anthesis and 50.5-82.9 % at physiological maturity phases in the cropped and bare soil, respectively among at varying dates of sowing and cultivars sown during both the crop seasons, respectively. The maximum relative humidity during the day was observed at 9: 00 hours. The highest humidity was measured at vegetative phase among different growing environments and different barley cultivars, during both crop seasons.