The present study was performed at three diverse agro-climatic zones of Indian Punjab. A validated DSSAT-CANEGRO model was used to simulate the response of different climate change scenarios on cane yield of four sugarcane varieties (CoPb 91, CoJ 88, Co 118 and Co 238) for each zone. Results described that elevated and lowered minimum temperature upto 3.0°C may alter cane yield by -17.9 to 18.0 per cent. Similarly, ±3.0°C altered maximum temperature may change the cane yield by -17.6 to 17.5 per cent. The sugarcane yield may be decreased by 2.4 to 14.4 per cent, 3.3 to 17.6% and 0.3 to15.4 per cent with 2.5 to 15 per cent reduced solar radiation and increase in the same unit may enhance the yield by 1.9 to 9.0 per cent, 1.3 to 13.6 per cent and 2.0 to 12.3 per cent at Faridkot, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala, respectively. A±30 mm rainfall may change the cane yield by 9.2 to 18.0 % similarly, rise and fall in CO2 by 5 to 30 ppm was able to increase and decrease the cane yield by 2.4- 22.6 and 3.5 - 27.8 per cent, at different regions. This study confirmed that for sugarcane cultivation in Punjab CoPb 91 should be preferred. However, CoJ 88 and Co 238 may suffer cane yield loss of 7.8 and 9.9 per cent respectively.

The productivity of wheat is highly vulnerable to climate change. Optimizing the sowing period of a crop may be one of the most important climate resilient strategies to optimize yield. First, the CERES-Wheat model was used to analyze effects of climate change on the optimum sowing window of wheat. Second, it was used to determine the optimum sowing window for different zones within Punjab state, India. The simulation results suggested that climate change has caused a shift in the optimum sowing window of wheat. The current (2006–2015 weather data) optimum sowing window is 22–28 October in north eastern Punjab, 24–30 October in central Punjab, and 21–27 October in south western Punjab. The rate of decrease in productivity with delay in sowing from the optimum sowing window by each day was lowest for north eastern Punjab (36.09 kg ha−1 day−1) and highest for south western Punjab (70.80 kg ha−1 day−1). The methodology followed in this study can be useful in determining the optimum sowing time of various crops.

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A field experiment was conducted during kharif (rainy season) 2008 and 2009 at research farm of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, to study the effect of four/three sowing dates (1 May, 15 May, 1 June and 15 June in 2008 and 15 May, 1 June and 15 June in 2009) on the symbiotic characters, thermal requirement, growth, productivity and economics of four pigeonpea genotypes (AL 201, AL 1507, AL 1578 and AL 1593). Days taken to 50% flowering, physiological maturity, and various agroclimatic indices i.e. AGDD, AHTU, APTU and HUE decreased with delay in sowing. The crop sown on 15 May recorded the highest nodule dry weight plant -1. The grain yield was significantly higher for the 15 May sowing compared to the 15 June sowing. During the two years, the crop sown on 15 May registered on average 6.7 and 48.0 percent higher grain yield than the1 June and 15 June sowings, respectively. The crop sown on 15 May gave the maximum gross returns, net returns and benefit-cost (B:C) ratio. Among the genotypes, AL 1507 recorded the highest nodule number plant-1 and AL 1578 recorded the maximum nodule dry weight plant-1.Genotypes AL 1507, AL 1578 and AL 1593 registered on average 19.4, 19.2 and 20.0 percent higher grain yield relative to AL 201, respectively. The genotype AL 1507 in 2008 and AL 1593 in 2009 performed better in terms of heat use efficiency for grain yield.

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The experiment was conducted at two zones of the Punjab state (i.e., Central plain zone, Ludhiana and South-Western zone, Bathinda) to study the phenological behaviour of wheat cultivars under different environments. The two wheat varieties, viz., V1: PBW 343 and V2: PBW 621, were evaluated under three sowing dates (D1: November 15, D2: November 25 and D3: December 5) and four irrigation levels I1 (irrigation at CRI, Jointing and Milking), I2 (irrigation at CRI, Tillering, Booting and Milking), I3 (irrigation at CRI, Tillering, Jointing, Booting and Milking) and I4 (irrigation according to weather forecast) during rabi 2011-12. The Growing Degree Days (GDD), Heliothermal units (HTU), Photo thermal units (PTU) and Heat use efficiency (HUE) were calculated. It was found that the wheat crop sown in central zone i.e., Ludhiana station acquired more number of days to reach physiological maturity and utilize heat more efficiently resulting in more grain yield as compared to south western zone i.e., Bathinda station grown wheat crop. The results also showed that the variety PBW 621 took significantly less time for initiation and completion of the various phenological stages than PBW 343. PBW 621 acquired less growing degree days, heliothermal units and photothermal units but was more efficient user of heat as compared to the variety PBW 343. The number of days required to attain different phenological stages decreased with late sowing condition. Irrigation levels failed to produce significant difference for days required for initiation and completion of various growth stages of crop as well as heat unit requirements for occurrence of the phenological events. It is concluded that timely sown crop exhibit best growth and yield as the favourable environmental conditions coincided with heat unit requirement of different phenophases of wheat in the central zone of Punjab.

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