Influence of In-situ Soil Moisture Conservation Practices with Pusa Hydrogel on Physiological Parameters of Rainfed Cotton

India ranks first among the countries that practice rainfed agriculture both in terms of extent and value of production (Sharma, 2011). Rainfed regions in India contribute substantially towards food grain production including 44% of rice, 87% of coarse cereals (sorghum, pearl millet, maize), 85 per cent of food legumes, 72% of oilseeds, 65% of cotton, and 90% of minor millets. Overall, the rainfed areas produce 40 per cent of the food grains, support two-thirds of the livestock population and are critical to food security, equity and sustainability ( Rao et al., 2015).