Climate Requirements
- Rabi crop — cool growing season with warm, dry weather at maturity.
- Optimum temperature for tillering: 16–20°C.
- Optimum temperature for grain filling: 23–25°C.
- Critical: high temperature (>30°C) during grain filling reduces yield; ensure irrigation.
- Rainfall requirement: about 500–1000 mm/year.
- Overall: cool & moist vegetative phase; warm & dry ripening phase.