The experimental site was farmer's field in village Hindwan, 12 km west of
Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. It is 221 m altitude, 29°0.5'N and
75°50'E. It has a semi-arid climate with mean annual rainfall 426 mm, 80 per
cent of which is in July to September. The average minimum temperature is
5.5 °C and maximum temperature is 41.5 °C in the month of January and
June, respectively. Groundwater table is at a mean depth of about 10 m and
its quality varied from 1 to 16 d Sm -l . The area has an ample supply of canal
water. The relevant soil physico-chemical properties are given in Table 1 and
the soil has been classified as Typic Camborthids (US texonomy) of Kirtan
Series.