Effect of different sowing windows on growth and yield of niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass]

The present study entitled Effect of different sowing windows on growth and yield of niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass] was conducted at Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Dapoli District: Ratnagiri (M.S.) during the kharif, 2023 season. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design. The experiment consisted of 18 treatment combinations which were replicated three times. The main plot consisted of six sowing windows viz. 23rd meteorological week (04th to 10th June) (S1), 25th meteorological week (18th to 24th June) (S2), 27th meteorological week (02nd to 08th July) (S3), 29th meteorological week (18th to 22nd July) (S4), 31st meteorological week (30th July to 5th August) (S5) and 33rd meteorological week (13th to 20th August) (S6) and the sub-plot consisted of three different varieties viz. RTNN-1(V1), RTNN-2(V2) and Phule Vaitarana (V3). The niger crop sown during 23rd meteorological week (4th to 10th June) (S1) recorded maximum height, number of functional leaves, number of branches, dry matter accumulation and straw yield. The variety RTNN-2 (V2) recorded significantly higher height, number of functional leaves, number of branches, dry matter accumulation and straw yield as compared to the rest of the varieties. However, sowing window 33rd meteorological week (13th to 20th August) (S6) produced significantly the higher yield attributes and grain yield. The variety RTNN-2 (V2) produced significantly higher grain yield as compared to the rest of the varieties.