Khesari (Grass Pea)

Water

Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

Needs about 410 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 320 mm it can use in a normal year, and 250 mm in a dry year.

Temperature

Grows best at 10–28 °C on average, and survives 4–32 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Oct 23 °C / 8 °C
• Nov 16 °C / 3 °C (outside its best range)
• Dec 10 °C / -1 °C (outside its best range)
• Jan 7 °C / -3 °C (outside its best range)
• Feb 9 °C / -1 °C (outside its best range)
• Mar 15 °C / 3 °C (outside its best range)
• Apr 20 °C / 9 °C
• May 24 °C / 12 °C

Soil

Soil for Khesari (Grass Pea): 9 out of 10 (good).

• The pH here suits it.
• Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
• Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of zinc.
• Most fields here are short of iron.

Likes pH 6.0–7.5.

Money

Yield: about 3.3 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

On rain alone it gets about 79% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 79% of this yield.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.