INFLUENCE OF INTER SEASONAL RAINFALL VARIABILITY ON CHILLI YIELD OVER THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT IN TAMIL NADU

Dryland horticulture is completely dependent on the monsoonal rainfall for its crop success. Chilli crop cultivation proves to be remunerative in a rainfed region like Thoothukudi district of South Tamil Nadu where the major rainfall contribution is from North-East monsoon. The influence of seasonal rainfall variability on chilli was explored through correlating the inter-seasonal rainfall deviation with chilli productivity using the 30 years (1983-2012) rainfall and chilli productivity data. Results indicated that chilli productivity had the relationship with seasonal rainfall by 45 percent. The study further revealed that chilli crop yield dropped in five out of 10 dry rainfall years and excess rainfall years also reduced the yield of chilli crop. It could be understood from the results that low and high rainfall years adversely affect the yield of chilli crop