• Authors:
    • Kumar, K. A. B.
    • Karthikeyan, K.
    • Jyothi, S. H.
    • Rana, B. S.
    • Rao, B. D.
    • Seetharama, N.
  • Source: Common Fund for Commodities, CFC Technical Paper No. 34 Alternative Uses of Sorghum and Pearl Millet in Asia
  • Year: 2004
  • Summary: The relative importance of sorghum and pearl millet as food grains in Asia is decreasing in terms of cultivated area and production. The same trend is in India except that the productivity of pearl millet is increasing. Generally the above changes can be explained in terms of increasing incomes, change in consumers' preferences and tastes, subsidized supply of wheat and rice through the Public Distribution System (PDS), etc. Despite the decline in their consumption, food use still accounts for a major share, especially of pearl millet. Sorghum is passing a transition stage from mere food and fodder crop to a valued industrial raw material such as feed (in India), sweet sorghum alcohol (in China and Thailand) and forage (in Pakistan). Cotton, groundnut, pulses and castor are the major crops replacing sorghum in many areas. Soyabean is the competing crop, especially in central and western India replacing sorghum. Cotton, sunflower, maize, groundnut, pulses and soyabean are replacing pearl millet. Some factors responsible for replacement of sorghum and pearl millet by these competing crops are low productivity and profitability of sorghum and pearl millet vis-a-vis competing crops, increased irrigation availability and price support to other cash crops. The net returns from irrigated sorghum are up to five times that of dryland sorghum in India, making a pathway for its future commercialization. The investment in R&D and outcome of research from private sector is growing at a faster rate than the public sector. Industrial uses such as animal feed, alcohol production (grain and sweet sorghum), jaggery and syrup (sweet sorghum), processed foods, malt/brewing and red sorghum exports will be the driving forces for commercialization of sorghum and pearl millet. Productivity enhancement (maximization of yields) is the alternative in the absence of prospects of any increase in real prices of output. This will result in lowering per unit cost of production. Thus, yield improvements and value-addition through industrial utilization may enhance the profitability and alleviate rural poverty. Marketing, contract farming and farmer-industry linkages are the niches for commercialization of these crops.
  • Authors:
    • Johnson, J. J.
    • Doerge, T. A.
    • Shanahan, J. F.
    • Vigil, M. F.
  • Source: Precision Agriculture
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2004
  • Summary: The goal of this research was to determine the potential for use of site-specific management of corn hybrids and plant densities in dryland landscapes of the Great Plains by determining (1) within-field yield variation, (2) yield response of different hybrids and plant densities to variability, and (3) landscape attributes associated with yield variation. This work was conducted on three adjacent fields in eastern Colorado during the 1997, -98, and -99 seasons. Treatments consisted of a combination of two hybrids (early and late maturity) and four plant densities (24 692, 37 037, 49 382 and 61 727 plants ha -1) seeded in replicated long strips. At maturity, yield was measured with a yield-mapping combine. Nine landscape attributes including elevation, slope, soil brightness (SB) (red, green, and blue bands of image), EC a (shallow and deep readings), pH, and soil organic matter (SOM) were also assessed. An analysis of treatment yields and landscape data, to assess for spatial dependency, along with semi variance analysis, and block kriging were used to produce kriged layers (10 m grids). Linear correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were used to determine associations between kriged average yields and landscape attributes. Yield monitor data revealed considerable variability in the three fields, with average yields ranging from 5.43 to 6.39 Mg ha -1 and CVs ranging from 20% to 29%. Hybrids responded similarly to field variation while plant densities responded differentially. Economically optimum plant densities changed by around 5000 plants ha -1 between high and low-yielding field areas, producing a potential savings in seed costs of $6.25 ha -1. Variability in yield across the three landscapes was highly associated with landscape attributes, especially elevation and SB, with various combinations of landscape attributes accounting for 47%, 95%, and 76% of the spatial variability in grain yields for the 1997, -98, and -99 sites, respectively. Our results suggest site-specific management of plant densities may be feasible.
  • Authors:
    • Taylor, J. R. N.
    • Somani, R. B.
  • Source: Alternative uses of sorghum and pearl millet in Asia. Proceedings of an expert meeting, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India, 1-4 July, 2003; CFC Technical Paper No.34
  • Year: 2004
  • Summary: Adaptation to poor habitats, poor resource base and production and consumption by poorer sections of the society have made sorghum crop an indispensable component of dryland agriculture. It is a drought hardy crop, can withstand waterlogging and thus excels over maize; it is also ecologically sound and environment friendly, demanding little pesticide use for crop management. Notwithstanding the moderate contribution of sorghum to the national food basket, this crop offers enormous advantages such as early maturity, wide adaptation, ease of cultivation and good nutritive value of both grain and fodder. With the green revolution and availability of fine cereals in remote places, proper disposition by value addition and establishing food, feed, beverages, sugars and alcohol industries will not only generate employment potential but also improve the regional economy. Sorghum is a valuable food grain for many of the world's most food insecure people. Much of Africa and India is characterized by semi-arid tropical climatic conditions. Sorghum is undoubtedly and uniquely adapted in the Afro-Asian regions. Sorghum in Africa and Asia is processed into a very wide variety of nutritive food products. Documentation, standardization, popularization and commercial exploitation of traditional products need attention. A large number of accessions are available. Proper selection for the requirements of the end users is necessary. Use of new biotechnological tools such as anti-sense gene technology to incorporate desired traits is now possible. Continuing focused fundamental and applied research is essential to unleash sorghum's capacity to be the cornerstone in food, feed, fuel and fibre sectors in Afro-Asian countries. Sorghum types of both continents are different; in Africa it is 'milo' based whereas in the Indian subcontinent it is 'caudatum' type. More attention on dehulling and debranning of red sorghum and mold resistance in white sorghum is anticipated. The future for sweet sorghum or high energy sorghum is also bright. Combined efforts of research institutions, private seed sector, industry and the government are necessary for its commercial exploitation. So far, there is a concept of developing an agro-based industry. However, we now have to think of industry-based agriculture.
  • Authors:
    • Nelson, L. A.
    • Baltensperger, D. D.
    • Eskridge, K. M.
    • Russell, W. K.
    • Guillen-Portal, F. R.
    • D'Croz-Mason, N. E.
    • Johnson, B. E.
  • Source: Crop Science
  • Volume: 44
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2004
  • Summary: Dryland maize ( Zea mays L.) production in the U.S. western High Plains is hampered by variable yields because of substantial environmental variation in this region. This study was conducted to determine the degree to which the ranking of superior maize hybrids for dryland production in the western High Plains was predictable from performance of the same hybrids in highly productive, irrigated environments in the same region. Forty-five maize hybrids were evaluated for grain yield performance under different water regimes in western Nebraska, eastern Wyoming, and northeastern Colorado in 1998 and 1999. The value of genotypic variance was by far larger in fully irrigated test environments (0.70) than in nonirrigated test environments (0.01-0.17). The genotypic mean repeatability in fully irrigated test environments (0.63) compared with that in nonirrigated test environments (0.18-0.69, respectively), and it showed correspondence with yield performance. The genetic correlation between fully and nonirrigated environments (0.72) was lower than that observed between all-nonirrigated environments (0.78-1.02). Thus, the proportion of direct advance in the former case (0.63) was generally lower than in the latter (0.41-0.97). However, an environmental similarity ratio (ESR) derived from crossover interaction indicated that water-contrasting environments were as similar (ESR=0.53) as nonirrigated environments (ESR=0.49) in ranking the maize hybrids. Selective identification of maize hybrids in irrigated environments for production under nonirrigated environments in the western High Plains might be a useful surrogate to direct selection in the latter environments.
  • Authors:
    • Sherrod,L. A.
    • Shaver,T. M.
    • Peterson,G. A.
  • Source: Geoderma
  • Volume: 116
  • Issue: 1-2
  • Year: 2003
  • Summary: Great Plains dryland agriculture is a risky venture because of large annual fluctuations in precipitation and high evaporation potentials. Water capture is limited by low water infiltration rates because many of our soils have relatively small aggregate size distributions, which limit infiltration, and are also susceptible to crusting and sealing. No-till management has permitted cropping intensification, which via improved water storage, has increased crop residue returned to the soil, decreased surface bulk density, and increased surface soil porosity. Our objective was to quantify the relationship between crop residue biomass generated by cropping system intensification and the physical properties of the surface soil (0-2.5-cm depth). This study was conducted within an existing long-term dryland experiment consisting of three sites in eastern Colorado that transect an evapotranspiration gradient. Each site transects a soil catena with three distinct soils arranged along a slope gradient. Only soils at the summit and toe slopes were sampled for this study. Soils are Argiustolls and Ustochrepts. Three no-till cropping systems, Wheat-Fallow (WF), Wheat-Corn-Fallow (WCF), and Continuous Cropping (CC), were sampled in the summer of 1998 after the cropping systems had been in place for 12 years. Bulk density, effective porosity, aggregate size distribution, sorptivity, and soil aggregate organic C content were measured at the surface 2.5 cm of the soil in each cropping system at the two soil positions at each site. Bulk density was reduced by 0.01 g cm(-3) for each 1000 kg ha(-1) of residue addition over the 12-year period. Each 1000 kg ha(-1) of residue addition increased effective porosity by 0.3%. Increases in macroaggregation were associated with linear increases in the C content of the aggregates; each g kg(-1) of organic C in the macroaggregates increased the proportion of macroaggregates by 4.4%. Implementation of no-till intensive cropping systems under this semiarid environment increased, residue biomass, which has ultimately increased effective porosity, and thus water capture potential was increased.
  • Authors:
    • Nunes, R. P.
    • Pinho, J. L. N.
    • Silva, J. B. F.
    • Pitombeira, J. B.
    • Cavalcante Junior, A. T.
  • Source: Planta Daninha
  • Volume: 21
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2003
  • Summary: A study was conducted from September to December 1997, in Pentecoste, Ceara, Brazil, to determine the effectiveness of the herbicides glyphosate (1800 g ha -1) and paraquat (800 g ha -1), applied as desiccants before sowing, and fenoxaprop-P-ethyl [fenoxaprop-P] (0, 40, 80 and 120 g ha -1) and imazamox (0, 21, 42 and 63 g ha -1), applied in post-emergence conditions, in controlling the weeds and to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the herbicides to cowpea plants ( Vigna unguiculata cv. Epace 10) under a no-tillage system with furrow irrigation. The treatments with glyphosate associated with imazamox or fenoxaprop-P-ethyl was more efficient in controlling the weeds, showing reduced weed shoot dry biomass production, when compared to paraquat combined with the post-emergence herbicides. Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and imazamox did not cause visual phytotoxicity symptoms to the cowpea plants. The best post-emergence weed control was provided by fenoxaprop-P-ethyl at the rate of 80 g ha -1, associated with glyphosate (1800 g ha 1). Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl was effective against the grass weeds, but not against Cenchrus echinatus and Digitaria horizontalis. Imazamox was not effective in controlling the broadleaf weeds Chamaesyce hirta and Euphorbia heterophylla at the studied rates.
  • Authors:
    • Chapman, D. F.
    • White, R. E.
    • Chen, D.
    • Eckard, R. J.
  • Source: Australian Journal of Agricultural Research
  • Volume: 54
  • Year: 2003
  • Authors:
    • Acosta-Martinez, V.
    • Gill, T. E.
    • Zobeck, T. M.
    • Kennedy, A. C.
  • Source: Biology and Fertility of Soils
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2003
  • Summary: Microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) are needed to maintain the quality of semiarid soils and crop production. Enzyme (produced by microbes) activities were increased in the soil when cotton was rotated with sorghum or wheat under reduced or no-tillage in comparison to continuous cotton under tillage. Soil bacteria and fungi did not change, according to one analysis conducted, due to crop rotation under reduced or no-tillage in comparison to continuous cotton under tillage. The increases in enzyme activities, however, are indicating that microbes and their enzymes will be increased, and thus nutrients will be more available to plants, more organic matter will be formed, and other soil properties will also positively change if crop rotations with reduced or no-tillage are applied to semiarid soils in comparison to the typical current practice of continuous cotton with tillage.
  • Authors:
    • Flury, M.
    • Huggins, D. R.
    • Bezdicek, D. F.
    • Fuentes, J. P.
  • Source: Soil & Tillage Research
  • Volume: 71
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2003
  • Summary: Understanding the fate of soil water and nitrogen (N) is essential for improving crop yield and optimizing the management of water and N in dryland cropping systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate how conventional (CT) and no-till (NT) cropping systems affect soil water and N dynamics. Soil water and N were monitored in 30 cm increments to a depth of 1.5 m for 2 years at growers' fields in two different agroclimatic zones of Washington State (USA): (1) the annual cropping region with a mean annual precipitation of more than 500 rum (Palouse site) and (2) the grain-fallow cropping region with mean precipitation below 350 mm (Touchet site). In each zone, a CT and a NT cropping system were chosen. All sites had an annual cropping system, except for the CT site in the drier area, which was under a traditional winter wheat/fallow rotation previous to the study. At Palouse, the volumetric water content in the top 1.5 m of the soil throughout the year was about 0.05-0.1 m(3) m(-3) less under CT as compared to NT, indicating improved seasonal accumulation and distribution of soil water under NT. Cropping systems modeling indicated, that during winter, surface runoff occurred in the CT system, but not under NT. The differences in soil water dynamics between CT and NT were mainly caused by differences in surface residues. Dynamics of NO3--N at Palouse were similar for NT and CT. At Touchet, differences in soil moisture between NT and CT were less than 0.05 m(3) m(-3). Under NT, high levels of NO3--N, up to 92 kg NO3-N ha(-1), were found after harvest below the root zone between 1.5 and 2.5 m, and were attributed to inefficient use or over-application of fertilizer. In both climatic zones, grain yield was positively correlated with evapotranspiration.
  • Authors:
    • Harrington, L.
    • Jain, M. C.
    • Robertson, G. P.
    • Grace, P. R.
  • Source: Improving the Productivity and Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Systems: Issues and Impacts
  • Volume: ASA Special Publ
  • Year: 2003
  • Summary: Arable lands in the Indo-Gangetic Plains are already intensively cropped with little scope for expansion because of the competing end uses of land for urbanization and industry. Evidence from long-term experiments in the region indicates that cereal yields are declining, which is in stark contrast to the needed increases in production to meet population demands in the future. The intensification of rice-wheat rotations has resulted in a heavy reliance on irrigation, increased fertilizer usage, and crop residue burning, which all have a direct effect on the variable that most affects global climate change - emissions of greenhouse gases. We estimate that the CO 2 equivalent emissions from a high-input conventionally tilled cropping system with residue burning and organic amendments would equal 8 mg C or 29 mg CO 2 per year if applied to 1 million hectares of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. In a no-till, residue-retained system, with 50% of the recommended NPK application, the total emissions would equal 3.7 mg C or 14 mg CO 2 per year, an effective halving of emissions as we move from a high- to low-input system with improved nutrient use and environmental efficiency. The transition to intensified no-tillage systems, with recommended fertilizer levels, can be both productive and environmentally sound in a world that is rapidly becoming aware of the significant effects of global climate change in both the short and long term.