Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 3B
Temperature and Relative Humidity Trends in Last Six Years at DCR
Month
2009-2010
2010-2011
2011-2012
Temp (°C)
RH (%)
Temp (°C)
RH (%)
Temp (°C)
RH (%)
Max
Min
FN
AN
Max
Min
FN
AN
Max
Min
FN
AN
September
31.3
22.9
96
86
31.8
22.7
96
79
31.9
22.3
96
80
October
34.1
22.3
94
62
32.4
22.6
96
74
35.2
22.6
95
60
November
33.9
21.9
94
71
33.7
22.2
95
66
33.2
19.5
93
53
December
34.5
20.5
92
65
34.2
19.0
94
57
33.7
17.4
92
46
January
34.7
18.7
92
60
36.1
16.0
92
47
33.7
17.4
93
41
February
36.6
19.9
91
51
36.8
17.5
90
43
36.1
19.3
92
40
March
37.7
23.0
90
46
38.0
21.4
91
39
36.2
21.3
90
41
April
37.1
23.7
90
48
37.8
23.0
92
45
35.5
22.5
91
49
May
36.6
23.4
90
52
36.6
23.2
93
53
35.3
22.7
90
50
June
32.0
22.8
95
84
31.3
22.8
98
89
31.3
23.0
93
79
July
29.8
22.6
98
94
30.6
22.6
98
91
30.8
23.2
94
79
August
30.5
22.9
96
90
31.2
22.9
97
85
28.0
22.6
93
81
Heavy rains at the time of harvesting affects yield and quality of
nuts. Unseasonal rainfall of 201 mm received at DCR farm during 15-25
March, 2008 resulted in drastic reduction in nut yield (Tables 6.4 and 6.5).
The peak harvesting of nuts was completed by 15 March, 2008. Rains at
the time of harvesting resulted in blackening of nuts or nuts start germi-
nating in the tree itself. Large quantity of nuts, which could not be picked
up in time, germinated in the field. The collected nuts could not be dried in
time due tononavailability of good sunshine hours resulting in poor quality
of nuts. The excess moisture content in raw cashewnuts damages the ker-
nel inside and changes its color from white to cream. It has been estimated
that the nut yield losses due to unseasonal rains ranged from 50 to 65% in
March, 2008.
Nut yield collected month-wise from cashew plantations at DCR for
the past five years (2006 to 2010) (
Table 6.6)
showed that the quantity
of nuts collected is highest during March followed by February or April
