• Authors:
    • Lal,R.
    • Dubey,A.
  • Source: Journal of Crop Improvement
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Sustainability of agricultural systems depends on their carbon (C) footprint, and the C output:C input ratio. Thus, this study was conducted with the objectives to: (i) assess the agricultural C emissions in relation to predominant farming systems in Punjab, India, and Ohio, USA; (ii) evaluate C-use efficiency of production systems; and (iii) determine the relative sustainability of agronomic production systems as determined by their C footprints. The data collated on C-based input into the soil for predominant crops for both regions included the amounts of fertilizers (N, P, K), herbicides and pesticides used for each crop annually, tillage methods, cropland area, total production of each crop, area under different farming systems, water-management practices (e.g., tubewell irrigation), and total number of livestock. These data were used to compute C equivalent (CE) per hectare of input and output, and the relative sustainability indices as a measure of the C-production efficiency. There existed a linear relationship observed between C input and C output for Punjab, indicating that an increase of 1 Tg/yr (1 Tg=teragram=10 12 g=million ton) of C input resulted in the corresponding C output of ~12 Tg/yr. A similar linear relationship between input and net C output between the 1930s and 1980s was observed for Ohio, and the ratio reached a plateau during 1990s. The average C-sustainability index (increase in C output as % of C-based input) value for Ohio from 1990 to 2005 was 35-43, almost 2.5 times that of Punjab. Since 1989, there has been a major shift in Ohio from conventional tillage to reduced and conservation tillage along with a decline in fertilizer use. No-till farming is practiced on about 35% of the cultivated area, which involves elimination of plowing, retention of crop residue mulch, and judicious use of chemicals. In Punjab, crop residues are removed, resulting in loss of C from the soil organic carbon pool. Hence, the C-based sustainability index is much higher in Ohio than in Punjab. C-efficient systems are more sustainable than inefficient farming systems, and residue removal reduces agricultural sustainability by depleting the soil C pool.
  • Authors:
    • Shankar, M. A.
    • Murukannappa
    • Gajanan, G. N.
    • Ganapathi
  • Source: Environment and Ecology
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A long term field experiment was conducted on cereal-legume cropping sequence leaving summer fallow at Bangalore during 1993 to 2006 in light textured red sandy loam soil to study the effect of long term use of glyricidia, farm yard manure and NPK fertilizers on soil fertility, crop productivity and nutrients losses. Plots of 3,000 m 2 each and having 2.5% slopes were delineated for each treatment. Appropriate instrumentation was done to quantity the nutrients loss. Continuous use of glyricidia to supply recommended N+50% recommended NPK recorded 16.8 and 142.6% higher yield followed by FYM and NPK in equal proportion (3.22 and 88.6%) in fingermillet and maize respectively as compared to recommended NPK (2,572 kg/ha and 1,150 kg/ha). FYM and 50% NPK recorded 35.8% higher soybean yield followed by FYM with 25.6% as compared to recommended NPK (453 kg/ha). Highest loss of OM, N, P and K were recorded under control and lowest losses were recorded in FYM and NPK in equal proportion, but least P loss (0.39 kg/ha) was recorded with 50% N with through glyricidia+50% NPK. In soybean, highest loss of OM, N, P and K were recorded in control and least loss of OM, P and K in FYM to supply 50% N+50% NPK. But least loss of N was in glyricidia to supply 50%+50% recommended NPK. In maize, highest loss of OM, N, P and K were recorded in control followed by recommended NPK. Irrespective of the crops the mean of seven years indicated that highest loss of OM, N, P and K were under control treatment Least loss of OM and N occurred under glyricidia to supply 50%+50% recommended NPK. But least losses P and K were recorded in NPK. Analysis of surface soil samples (0-15 cm) indicated that continuous addition of FYM or glyricidia to supply recommended N alone or along with NPK over a period of 13 years increased OC, biomass carbon and mean weight diameter as compared to NPK alone. Reduction in soil pH in recommended NPK from 5.6 to 4.5 and improvement in organics, increased available N, available K, sulfur, Zn, Cu Mn and Fe in organics alone or along with NPK as compared to recommended NPK.
  • Authors:
    • Meera, P.
    • Pandey, A.
    • Amarnath, S.
  • Source: Environment and Ecology
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue: 3A
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during three consecutive years of 2000-01 to 2002-03 to study the nutrient management on yield, quality and fertility status in tobacco based intercropping system in North Bihar. Results revealed that significantly highest cured and first grade leaf yield of tobacco was obtained in tobacco+garlic than other intercropping systems. Highest net and gross return and cost: benefit ratio were realized in tobacco+garlic followed by tobacco+rajmash and tobacco+potato intercropping systems. Application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) produced significantly highest cured and first grade leaf yield of tobacco as compared to rest of the fertility levels. Application of 100% RDF registered more gross and net returns and cost: benefit ratio. The physical parameters of maturity score was recorded more in tobacco+garlic intercropping and application of 100% RDF. Physical and chemical compositions of soil after harvest of tobacco was restored more in 100% RDF along with tobacco+garlic intercropping.
  • Authors:
    • Animesh, S.
  • Source: Journal of Bamboo and Rattan
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The feasibility of cultivation of winter vegetables under bamboo was assessed on the basis of their growth and yield. Recently Dendrocalamus asper, an edible and exotic bamboo species has been introduced in India. In the present study four-years-old plantation of D. asper raised through tissue culture was intercropped with potato ( Solanum tuberosum), tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum) and pea ( Pisum sativum). Vegetable crops showed variable performance under bamboo as compared to control. Among three winter vegetable crops, pea was found most compatible with D. asper.
  • Authors:
    • Govindakrishnan, P.
    • Lal, S.
    • Dua, V.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 79
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, during 2003-06, to determine the nutrient requirement of French bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris) when intercropped with potato ( Solanum tuberosum) under 2:2 row ratio in which 2 rows of French bean (paired at 30 cm) were planted at 2 population densities (88 888 plants/ha with 15 cm plant spacing and 133 333 plants/ha with 10 cm plant spacing) after every 2 rows of potato planted at 50 cm. Potato tuber yield was not affected since it was supplied with a uniform recommended dose of NPK and farmyard manure in all the treatments. Results revealed that in the potato+French bean (2:2) intercropping, French bean required only 2/3 of the recommended NPK and farmyard manure, applied on the basis of their sole crop density in intercropping, irrespective of its planting spacing. The increase in pod yield of French bean under this treatment over control was 1.62 tonnes/ha (38.7%) and 1.78 tonnes/ha (37.0%) at population densities of 88 888 and 133 333 plants/ha, respectively. At this level of fertility, French bean with 133 333 plants/ha gave 13.4% more pods (0.78 tonnes/ha) than with 88 888 plants/ha. The nutrient balance was also positive as the removal of N, P and K was 40.6, 31.2 and 44.1%, respectively, with 88 888 plants/ha of French bean and 39.3, 27.1 and 42.7%, respectively, with 133 333 plants/ha of Frenchbean grown with 2/3 of recommended NPK+farmyard manure. The economics was also favourable for these treatments.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, V.
    • Gill, M.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Fertilisers
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The cultivated area for the last two decades is almost constant 1402 million ha and efforts are to be made to grow food grains from 230 million tonnes to 300 million tonnes by 2025. The vertical enhancement In productivity is the possible option, which has been substantiated by various research investigations. Undoubtedly, with the introduction of high yielding varieties of cereals and their continuous cultivation caused the deficiency of secondary and micronutrients in time and space, which resulted in yield stagnation. The productivity computed in terms of rice equivalent yield was highest, ranged between 8.5-12.0 tonnes/ha for rice-wheat system, 8.6 to 11.4 tonnes/ha for maize-wheat system and 5.8-7.5 tonnes ha -1 for pearl millet-wheat system under Trans Gangetic Plains amply explains about the increase in food grain production. The application of sulfur at 30-45 kg/ha enabled rice crop to fetch return per rupee invested from Rs. 11.7 to 22 while it varied from Rs. 26.4 to 35.1 under rice-wheat system. Zinc application to rice resulted to give response varying from 0.2 to 1.0 tonnes/ha in 62% of field trials out of 2154 trials. The corresponding values for wheat was 51% in 2391 field experiments. Application of S, Zn, Mn, Fe, B and at some places Mo under site specific nutrient management helped to achieve the high yield targets of 15-171 tonnes/ha per annum of rice-wheat and 14-16 tonnes/ha per annum of rice-rice cropping systems. The foliar use of micronutrients particularly Zn, Fe and Mn proved highly economical tonnes than their soil application. To enhance the food grain production, it is pertinent to delineate and map the extent and magnitude of multi-nutrient deficiencies (secondary and micronutrient) in different agro-ecological regions. Such studies are of prime Importance to check the nutritional imbalance in the food chain which will not only solve the health livelihood of the living organisms but at the same time enhance the input use efficiency, curtail the cost of production and above all enable to sustain the food security of the country by breaking the yield barrier coming on account of multi-nutrient deficiencies.
  • Authors:
    • Raina, S.
    • Jaggi, R.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Fertilisers
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Nitrogen application up to 240 kg/ha consistently increased total and large-sized potato tuber yield over no N. However, higher levels of N led to the deterioration in nutritional, processing and storage quality of potato. Applying 75% of N as basal and 25% as top dressing improved the storage quality of potato. The effect of FYM was more pronounced in the absence of N. Use of biofertilizers in conjunction with organic fertilizers increased their efficiency and served as a supplementing source to increase nutrient availability for sustainable agriculture especially in heavy feeder crop like potato. This also reduced P dose without sacrificing yield and kept soil healthier at the same time. The optimum doses of K for mid hill soils of Himachal Pradesh were worked out to be 62 to 112 kg/ha with and without FYM, respectively. Significant improvement in storability of potato was observed up to 100 kg K 2O/ha. A significant response to application of micronutrients (Zn, Mn and Fe) was observed under Jammu and Himachal Pradesh soils. There was also a significant response to seed rate, sowing time and irrigation. Intercrops of cabbage, french bean and pea with potato were very productive and far more remunerative than sole potato. There was a good response to balanced and integrated nutrient management in potato.
  • Authors:
    • Sanjay, K.
    • Sharma, S.
    • Kaushik, V.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Research and Development
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Suitable to environment or eco-friendly means not harmful to our system of environment i.e. not harmful to land, air etc. Presently, due to agriculture a lot of pollutants are added day by day in our environment. Because of these pollutants, the soil fertility is decreasing, the fear of disease in living beings are increasing, a lot of poisonous chemicals and gases prevails in the environment. There is a great need to the use of such a cropping system which is suitable to environment i.e Eco-friendly system of cropping. The Eco-friendliness of cropping system may be viewed from two different angles i.e systems which help in soil and water conservation and system which reduce the use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, organic fertilizers. As far as the pesticides use is concerned at national level, it is a still for below the alarming proportions. Inclusion of such crops in the cropping systems in problem areas can play a significant role in minimizing the use of agro-chemicals in the crop production. Insecticides or fungicides use can also be minimized to a considerable extent through cropping system approach. It has been reported that sorghum ear-head fly damage is extremely rare where pigeon pea is planted in alternate rows. Intercropping of coriander in autumn planted sugarcane prevent top borer in sugarcane Sorghum helepense ( L) pers (Tohangen grass) becomes predominant weed in continuous maize cultivation but can be controlled by rotating with cotton. Adoption of sugarcane wheat system in place of rice-wheat decreases philaries minor infestation to almost negligible level which is otherwise not achieved through herbicides. In maize-potato cropping system raising of pearl millet for green fodder or sesamum for green manure during summer was also found advantageous in reducing Cyprus rotundas in succeeding crop of maize and potato. Position of ground water owing to leaching of nitrates is a selectively new concern in India. Because usage of N-fertilizer is low in India, nitrate is not likely to pose serious problems in most farming situations. Choice of appropriate system and management practices helped minimizing nitrate leaching besides improving N-use efficiency.
  • Authors:
    • Kumpawat, B.
  • Source: Haryana Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2004-05 to 2007-08 on clay loam soils at the Dryland Farming Research Station, Arjia, Bhilwara under alkali water irrigation conditions, to find out effect of soil ameliorates viz., control (fallow), green manuring of dhaincha [ Sesbania aculeata (L.) Pers.], application of gypsum @ 50% gypsum requirement (G. R.) and green manuring alongwith gypsum 50% GR and nitrogen levels viz., 50, 75 and 100% RDN on growth, yield and economics of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.). The study revealed that soil ameliorates improved yield and yield attributes, nutrient uptake, protein content, net return and sustainable yield index (SYI). Green manuring alongwith gypsum 50% GR resulted in the highest grain and straw yield, N and P uptake, crude protein content, net return and sustainable yield index (SYI), wile maximum benefit:cost ratio (3.4) was recorded from green manuring treatment. Increasing dose of nitrogen upto 100% RDN improved significantly yield and yield attributes, crude protein, N and P uptake and recorded highest net return (Rs. 30208/ha), benefit:cost ratio (3.4) and sustainable yield index (0.83).
  • Authors:
    • Torabi, M.
    • Hosni, M.
    • Vaezi, B.
    • Khanzadeh, H.
    • Khalilzadeh, G.
    • Hosseinpour, T.
    • Nourinia, A.
    • Roustaei, M.
    • Mohammadi, M.
    • Patpour, M.
    • Dehghan, M.
  • Source: Seed and Plant Improvement Journal
  • Volume: 25-1
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Some parts of semitropical regions in Khouzestan, Fars, Kohgiloyieh-va-Boyrahmad, Lorestan, Golestan, Ardabil, Kermanshah and Boushehr provinces specified to spring barley cultivation which local or a few improved cultivars are grown there. Barley breeding activities in Dryland Agricultural Research Institute(DARI) are continuously undertaken in Gachsaran, Kouhdasht, Gonbad and Moghan to introduce new cultivars for these regions. Obtained results during 11 years (1993-2003) showed that genotype Wi2291/Wi2269//Er/Apm originated from ICARDA, had good adaptation, yield stability and good agronomic traits in dryland areas with semitropical climate. The average yield of this genotype in all locations was 3.556 tha -1 which was 12 percent more than the yield of Izeh as improved check. Higher thousand kernel weight (more than 10 gram in some locations) is a remarkable trait of this genotype. The new genotype is a spring type barley with an average plant height of 72 cm and resistant to lodging. This genotype was introduced through Agricultural Extension, Education and Research Organization under the name of Mahoor in 2008.