Response of Date of Sowing and Varieties on Growth and Yield of Niger under Eastern Ghat High Land Zone of Odisha

A field experiment was carried out under All India Coordinated Research Project on Niger at Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station (OUAT), Semiliguda of Koraput district under Eastern Ghat High Land zone of Odisha in acidic soil during three consecutive kharif seasons from 2015 to 2017 to study the response of date of sowing and varieties on growth and yield of niger. The experiment consists of six dates of sowing with 15 days interval viz. 15th July, 30th July, 14th August, 29th August, 13th September and 28th September with two varieties of niger namely Deomali and Utkal Niger-150. The experiment was performed in split plot design with three replications. The pooled data for three years revealed that out of six different dates of sowing, the crop which was sown on 15th July resulted significantly the highest seed yield (563 kg ha-1) with a net monetary return (Rs. 8083 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (1.6). Niger variety Utkal Niger-150 recorded higher seed yield and economic returns. It was discovered that the environment had a greater impact on variety yield levels than the varieties themselves. Less dry spells, no wet spells, a high number of sunshine hours and a moderate temperature were all essential environmental factors.