Water Chestnut
Sow in July, harvest around December
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop.
Only with irrigation: rain gives too little of its water to count on
- Needs care: Risky: 14 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 14 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 1,210 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 530 mm it can use in a normal year, and 340 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 25–30 °C on average, and survives 10–35 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 36 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
- Aug 35 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
- Sep 35 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
- Oct 33 °C / 25 °C
- Nov 31 °C / 24 °C
- Dec 30 °C / 23 °C
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Water Chestnut: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
- Most fields here are short of zinc.
Likes pH 5.5–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 15 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).
Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.
No mandi or support price for this crop yet.
How to make it work
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Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.