Effect of Mitigating Technologies of Weather Abnormalities on Yield, Economic Benefit and Soil Properties of Cluster Bean

A study was conducted on weather abnormalities impact of mitigation technologies on yield, benefits and soil properties of cluster bean. Results of on farm trials showed that adoption of technologies neutralized the effect of weather abnormalities. Among abiotic weather abnormalities, major losses in cluster bean was by water stagnation at initial and drought during flowering and pod formation stages of crop, whereas biotic stress due to weather abnormalities caused major loss by alternaria leaf blight and leaf spot indirectly in this region. Adoption of mitigation technologies of abiotic and biotic stress significantly increased grain, straw and gum yield of cluster bean. Escaping of crop by water stagnation at initial stage of crop by adopting laser assisted land leveling and sowing of crop by broad bed seed cum fertilizer drill increased the grain yield to maximum (21.2%) followed by sowing of crop by broad bed seed cum fertilizer drill (13.6%) as compared with traditional method of sowing (1395kg/ha). Similarly, drought during flowering and pod formation stage affected crop due to early withdrawal of rains. Under these conditions, drought tolerant short duration cultivars and irrigation at critical stage increased yield by 61.5%, followed by drought tolerant short duration cultivar (39.9%) as compared yield of traditional cultivars (1012kg/ha). Like-wise control of leaf blight increased grain yield by 19.5% compared to yield of control (1495kg/ha), whereas leaf spot infestation was reduced by timely sowing of crop after seed treatment with thiram @ 0.3% and two spray of 0.5% zinc sulphate. As a result yield increased to 14.7% as compared with control (1582kg/ha). Similarly, using improved techniques for mitigation of weather abnormalities gave higher net returns and B:C ratio and better chemical properties of soil as compared to control.