• Authors:
    • Tiwari, K. N.
    • Kaore, S. V.
  • Source: Fertiliser Marketing News
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Earlier, it was believed that continued and even increased use of fertilisers is essential for sustaining India's high yielding agriculture. Of late, it has been experienced that by increasing the doses of NPK through fertilisers, crop productivity cannot be sustained mainly due to decline in organic carbon content and depletion of soils nutrient reserves leading to multiple nutrients deficiencies, imbalanced use of nutrients and many more factors depending on location specific areas. This, indeed, is a major challenge to those who are concerned with agricultural development and fertiliser use in the country. The escalating prices of fertilisers and raw materials required for production of fertilisers in global market have made it necessary to search the alternatives sources giving due emphasis to renewable nutrient sources to ensure sustainable agricultural development in the country. Experience shows that the goal of sustainable agriculture can be achieved by technological manipulations blending the indigenous knowledge with modern technologies suited to specific agro-ecological regions. Integrated use of all the nutrient resources (fertilisers, organics, crop residues, biofertilisers, industrial wastes/byproducts etc.) would be essential and inevitable. At least 25% of the total nutrient needs of India can be managed with organic manures, crop residues, biofertilisers and industrial wastes. Apart from this, our focus should be on efficient land and water management coupled with responsible plant nutrient supply along with best management practices. Various components of land and water management suited to site-specific conditions need to be adopted to ensure India's food, nutrition and environmental security. This paper highlights the sustainable pathways towards greening India's "Green Revolution" for sustainable agricultural development. The salient findings of the "Soil Rejuvenation and Productivity Enhancement Project" recently initiated by the IFFCO have also been briefly elucidated in this paper.
  • Authors:
    • Joshi, A. K.
    • Dixon, J.
    • Waddington, S. R.
    • Li, X.Y.
    • Vicente, M. C. de
  • Source: Food Security
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Variation in water availability is a major source of risk for agricultural productivity and food security in South Asia. Three hundred and thirty expert informants were surveyed during 2008-09 to determine the relative importance of drought and water-related constraints compared with other constraints limiting the production of four major food crops (wheat, rice, sorghum, chickpea) in five broad-based South Asian farming systems. Respondents considered drought an important constraint to crop yield in those farming systems that are predominantly rainfed, but associated it with low yield losses (well below 10% of all reported losses) for crops in farming systems with well-developed irrigation. In these systems, other water-related constraints (including difficult access to sufficient irrigation water, the high cost of irrigation, poor water management, waterlogging and flooding of low-lying fields) were more important. While confirming the importance of drought and water constraints for major food crops and farming systems in South Asia, this study also indicated they may contribute to no more than 20-30% of current yield gaps. Other types of constraint, particularly soil infertility and the poor management of fertilizer and weeds for the cereals, and pests and diseases for chickpea, contributed most yield losses in the systems. Respondents proposed a wide range of interventions to address these constraints. Continued investments in crop-based genetic solutions to alleviate drought may be justified for food crops grown in those South Asian farming systems that are predominantly rainfed. However, to provide the substantial production, sustainability and food security benefits that the region will need in coming decades, the study proposed that these be complemented by other water interventions, and by improvements to soil fertility for the cereals and plant protection with chickpea.
  • Authors:
    • Kumar, N.
    • Kumar, P.
    • Yadav, S. K.
    • Kumar, M.
  • Source: Environment and Ecology
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue: 3B
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during 2001-02 to 2005-06 to assess the nutrients utilization and their translocation to grains in various cropping systems. The soil was sandy loam in texture and medium in soil fertility. Seven cropping systems viz. pearlmillet-wheat, pearlmillet-mustard, soybean-wheat-cowpea (f), sorghum (f)-wheat, pearlmillet-potato-green gram, pearlmillet-field pea-maize (f) and cotton-wheat were grown. In general the total nitrogen (N) uptake was higher with 3 crops in a year as compared to 2 crops in a year. The results revealed that the N uptake was highest in soybean-wheat-cowpea (f) cropping system while phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake were highest in pearlmillet-potato-green gram cropping system. During kharif, the highest per cent translocation of N and P to grains was observed in soybean and K in cotton. The translocation percentage of N and P to grains was highest in wheat in sorghum (f)-wheat, and soybean-wheat-cowpea (f) cropping systems, respectively; and K in potato in rabi.
  • Authors:
    • Rajanna, M. P.
    • Sheshshayee, M. S.
    • Mohankumar, M. V.
    • Udayakumar, M.
  • Source: ARPN Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Rice is an extensively consumed cereal crop, which serves as a major source of carbohydrate in human diet. Rice cultivation requires more than 50% of the total irrigation water used for agriculture. Therefore saving irrigation water without much compromising with grain yield in rice cultivation is an important global agenda. In the present study the relevance of several drought tolerance traits in improving grain yield of rice under aerobic condition is studied. Analysis of variance indicated significant genetic variability among all plant traits. Grain yield was significantly correlated with root volume, root weight, total biomass total leaf area and Delta 13C. Path analysis indicated that root traits like root length and root weight positive direct effect on grain yield. Above ground traits like SLA, TDM, and TLA had direct positive direct effects on grain yield. The direct of Delta 13C on grain yield was negligible. Root length had highest positive indirect effect on grain yield via root volume. These results indicated that root play a pivotal role in improving grain yield. Yield displayed highest H 2BS, where as Δ 13C displayed moderate heritability among the germplasm accessions.
  • Authors:
    • Muthukrishnan, P.
    • Fanish, S. A.
  • Source: Madras Agricultural Journal
  • Volume: 98
  • Issue: 7/9
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Field experiment was conducted at farmer's field at Palani taluk of Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu during kharif 2008 with the objective of evaluating the drip fertigation on water saving and Water Use Efficiency (WUE) in intensive maize based intercropping system. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design with three replications. The experiment consisted of 9 fertigation levels in main plot and 4 intercrops in sub plot. Among the different fertigation levels, higher maize grain yield of 7300 kg ha-1 was recorded under drip fertigation of 100 per cent RDF with 50 per cent P and K through water soluble fertilizer (WSF) followed by application of 150 per cent RDF through drip (7050 kg ha -1). The yield increase over drip irrigation with soil application of fertilizer was 39 per cent. Drip irrigation helped to save water up to 43.65 per cent compared to surface irrigation method. Among the different intercrops tested, higher WUE of 21.0 kg ha -1 mm -1 was observed under maize+vegetable coriander intercropping system.
  • Authors:
    • Gill, M. S.
    • Bhale, V. M.
    • Deshmukh, M. S.
    • Narkhede, W. N.
    • Gadade, G. D.
    • More, S. S.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years (2005-2007) at Parbhani to find out most productive and profitable cropping system. Among the different cropping systems, highest wheat [( Triticum aestivum L.) emend. Fiori & Paol] equivalent yield (19.9 t/ha) and net monetary returns (Rs 107.8*10 3/ha) were obtained from soybean [ Glycine max (L. Merr.)]-onion ( Allium capa L.) cropping system, followed by turmeric ( Curcuma domestica L.)+castor ( Ricinus communis L.) (WEY-14.0 t/ha, and NMR Rs 89.8*10 3/ha). The soybean-onion system also recorded maximum net monetary advantage per unit time (Rs 573/ha/day), employment (374 mandays) and water use efficiency (221 kg/ha-cm), followed by turmeric+castor intercropping system. The highest nutrient uptake was recorded in sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-wheat followed by maize ( Zea mays L.)+cow-pea ( Vigna sinensis L.)-wheat and maize-wheat cropping systems. The highest soil nutrient status was observed in cotton ( Gossypium sp.)-summer groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) followed by soybean-onion cropping systems.
  • Authors:
    • Prabhakaran, N. K.
    • Chinnusamy, C.
    • Sangeetha, C.
  • Source: Madras Agricultural Journal
  • Volume: 98
  • Issue: 4/6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of early post emergence herbicide, imazethapyr against weeds in irrigated soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill) at Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar. Weeds, viz., Dactyloctenium aegypticum, Acrach ne racemosa, Cyperus rotundus, Boerhaavia diffusa, Digera arvensis, Parthenium hysterophorous were the dominant weeds in the experimental field. Imazethapyr at 100 and 200 g ha -1 applied on 15 DAS provided 87 to 91% weed control efficiency compared to unweeded control. However, imazethapyr at 200 g ha -1 had slight phytotoxicity on soybean in the initial stages. Higher grain yield of 1645 kg ha -1 was obtained with application of imazethapyr 100 g ha -1.
  • Authors:
    • Prasad, T. V. R.
    • Kumar, V. K. K.
    • Sanjay, M. T.
    • Gowda, P. T.
  • Source: Journal of Crop and Weed
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2007 and summer 2008 on sandy loam soil of Hebbal, Bangalore, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, to know the comparative performance of tank mix application of chlorimuron ethyl (Kloben 25% WP)+quizalofop-p-terfuryl (Pantera 4% EC) on controlling weeds in soybean and seed yield Tank mix combination of chlorimuron ethyl 9 g+quizalofop-p-tefuryl 40 g ai/ha -20 DAS with surfactant (1598 kg/ha) or without surfactant (1518 kg/ha) gave seed yield similar to hand weeding twice (1720 kg/ha), as result of good control of grasses, broad leaf weeds and sedge. Unweeded control lowered the yield by 61% mainly due to severe competition offered by grasses. Thus, use of chlorimuron ethyl 9 g+quizalofop-p-terfuryl 40 g ai/ha+0.2% surfactant (as tank mix) at 20 DAS can be used safely for broad spectrum weed control in irrigated soybean.
  • Authors:
    • Thakare, S. S.
    • Shende, N. V.
  • Source: The Asian economic review: journal of the Indian Institute of Economics
  • Volume: 53
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: In this study an attempt has been made to study the structural changes in cost of cultivation of selected crops in Vidarbha. The study is based on estimates of cost of cultivation of four selected crops viz. Cotton, Soybean, Sorghum and Paddy of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The study used cross sectional cum time series data of Vidarbha region for selected crops for ten years from 1999-00 to 2008-09. The total cost of cultivation of cotton, soybean, sorghum and paddy has been depicting an increase by 1.82,1.86, 1.17 and 1.42 times during the period of study respectively. It was revealed that the share of operational cost to total change in cost of cultivation has been almost same for cotton, soybean and paddy crops indicating that the operational cost and fixed cost increased over time in a commensurate manner for these crops except sorghum crop. For all selected crops, the cost of cultivation has increased at a faster rate as compared to increase in prices of their output. The study also revealed that, during 1999-00, the return over cost A was highest for paddy crop followed by sorghum and cotton and lowest for soybean. The return over cost C was highest for paddy followed by sorghum but the return over cost C for soybean and cotton found negative. There for paddy crop had comparative economic advantage as compared to other selected crops of Vidarbha in 1999-00. During 2008-09, return over cost A was highest for cotton crop followed by paddy, soybean and sorghum. The return over cost C was highest for cotton followed by soybean and paddy crop. There for cotton crop had comparative economic advantage among the selected crops of Vidarbha in 2008-09. Cotton and paddy are the important crops of Vidarbha. These crops are more profitable as compared to other crops of Vidarbha, but now the area under cotton was replaced by soybean due to high cost of cultivation of cotton. Hence cotton area is likely to dominate day by day.
  • Authors:
    • Jain, K.
    • Kudrat, M.
    • Singh, N. J.
    • Pandey, K.
  • Source: International Journal of Remote Sensing
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue: 16
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The cropping pattern (rotation) of a region depends on the soil, water availability, economic conditions and climatic factors. Remote sensing is one of the effective tools that can provide precise and up-to-date information on the performance of agricultural systems. Four seasons data from the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS)-P6 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) were used for the generation of the cropping pattern of Uttar Pradesh by geographic information system (GIS)-aided integration of digitally classified crop and land use inventories of the kharif, rabi and zaid crop seasons. Twelve different cropping patterns were delineated and mapped in the Indo-Gangetic plain of Uttar Pradesh. The forests covered about 6.32% of the total geographical area. The net cropped area was 20 282 159.46 ha (84.18% of the total geographical area) and the non-agricultural area observed was 3 437 376.00 ha (14.26% of the total geographical area). Rice was the single most dominant crop of the state, occupying about 32.94% of the total geographical area during the kharif season. Maize/jowar was the second major cereal crop, accounting for 13.77% of the total geographical area of the state. The major crops grown during the rabi season were wheat and pulses/oilseed, covering areas of 7 979 267.71 ha (33.12%) and 5 974 742.58 ha (24.80%), respectively. Rice-wheat, sugarcane and rice-pulses were the major cropping patterns, occupying about 3 958 739.85 ha (16.43%), 3 609 939.74 ha (14.98%) and 2 511 298.24 ha (10.42%), respectively. The areas under pulses/oilseed were significantly higher in the rabi season. Sugarcane-wheat and pulses shared an almost equal area (6.49%). The maize/jowar-wheat cropping pattern occupied 6.14% of the total geographical area of the state. Single cropping patterns (i.e. rice-fallow, fallow-pulses, fallow-wheat, maize-fallow and sugarcane-fallow) were minor, occupying 6.08, 2.94, 4.06, 2.69 and 2.51%, respectively. Waste land, including gulley, salt-affected, waterlogged and rock land, accounted for 3.80% of the total geographical area. The results of this study indicate that temporal IRS-P6 (AWiFS) data are very useful for studying spatial cropping patterns. The values of the Multiple Cropping Index (MCI) and the Cultivated Land Utilization Index (CLUI) show that the study area has a high cropping intensity.