In the era of climate change crops are subjected to wide extremities of climate which ultimately effecting the growth and yield. Adoption of suitable sowing window and suitable hybrid helps preventing the exposure to the weather vagaries without compromise in yields. A field experiment was conducted at Bapatla, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, India during rabi 2017-18. The experiment was laid in factorial RBD replicated thrice with four dates of sowing (2nd fortnight of September, 1st fortnight of October, 2nd fortnight of October & 1st fortnight of November) and three hybrids of sorghum (CSH-14, MAHALAKSHMI and CSH-25). The results showed that 2nd fortnight of September (D1) recorded the higher grain yield (5198 kg ha-1), straw yield (9432kg ha-1), GDD, HTU, PTU and TPR. Among the hybrids MAHALAKSHMI reported higher grain yield (5162 kg ha-1), straw yield (9109 kg ha-1) and recorded higher GDD, HTU, PTU and TPR. Significant linear relationship was observed for grain yield of all the three hybrids with agroclimatic/weather health indices.

Sorghum, GDD, HTU, PTU, TPR.

From the study it can be concluded that time of sowing and selection of a hybrid suitable for the season play a critical role in accumulation of heat units to bring out quality produce. Identification of the sowing window by thermal approach helps in mitigating the impact of climate change. Early sown crop has an advantage of optimizing the climate stress, while late sown may succumb to environmental disturbances. Sowing of rabi sorghum hybrid MAHALAKSHMI during 2nd fortnight of September recorded better yields by accumulating higher GDD, HTU, PTU and TPR. Future study can be made on influence of weather indices on crops by developing a suitable meterological model and also step down regression analysis of the data helps in identifying the major factors effecting the growth and yield of crop. Adoption of green house gas estimation during the crop period is a thought full idea towards studying the climate change.

Madhurya D., Murthy V.R.K. and Sree Rekha M. (2022). Influence of Weather Health indices on Growth and Yield of Rabi sorghum. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(3): 1551-1557.