• Authors:
    • Joshi, O. P.
    • Billore, S. D.
    • Dupare, B. U.
    • Verma, S. K.
  • Source: Soybean Research
  • Volume: 7
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A study was conducted to visualize the impact of soybean cultivation in the "Soya State", Madhya Pradesh. The data were collected using well-designed interview schedule containing relevant questions on how soybean has affected farmers lifestyle as well as overall farming scenario? Majority of the respondents perceived soybean cultivation as a major driving force for their socio-economic development. A steady increase in the farmers' inclination to grow soybean was observed during the last five decades, while, decreasing their area in traditionally grown crops like sorghum, pigeon pea, groundnut, cotton and black gram. During soybean introduction many changes in the overall farming scenario of Madhya Pradesh have occurred. The change was recorded in the land holding pattern of farmers which revealed that small and marginal farmers have further reduced their land holdings while larger farmers have not only managed their holdings but also added newer areas to their total farm size. The cost of cultivation as well as rates fetched by the soybean showed an upward trend with passage of time during these five decades. An inverse relationship between the labour availability and wages was also observed. The gathered opinion from farmers brought out that fertilizer consumption and insect-load appeared to have increased with time. It seems that in spite the irrigation facilities have increased during these 50 years, particularly that of canal, tube wells and ponds, soybean by and large, remained to be a rainfed crop. However, the farmers have shifted from bullock drawn implements to tractor drawn implements. This led to limiting number of animals with farmers, thereby progressive reduction in the use of manures. Subsequent to the introduction of soybean, the socio-economic status of the farmers has improved.
  • Authors:
    • Suhag, K. S.
    • Kumar, S.
    • Kumar, D.
    • Kumar, N.
  • Source: Haryana Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The analysis of secondary data of various districts of Haryana for the period 1996-97 to 2005-06 revealed that both bullock and camel population declined in the wake of farm mechanization across districts, regions and state, while he-buffaloes population increased due to the increased use of carts for transport. The number of both wooden and iron ploughs declined, while those of sugarcane crushers, combine harvesters and bullock carts increased both at intra and inter-regions including state. The use of NPK fertilizers, credit disbursed through primary agricultural cooperative credit societies as well as irrigation intensity though increased across districts, regions and state, yet pesticides consumption declined in eastern region including state. The area under cereals had positive growth rates across districts, regions and state even but at the cost of pulses and oilseeds. Likewise, the area under fruits and vegetables though marginally declined across regions and state yet both increasing and decreasing trends existed across districts and the compound growth rates both for production and productivity of cereals have increased across districts, regions and state. Furthermore, the oilseeds production has declined across districts, regions and state but except for eastern region, the oilseeds productivity increased both in western region and state.
  • Authors:
    • Gathala, M. K.
    • Singh, K. K.
    • Sharma, S. K.
    • Saharawat, Y. S.
    • Tetarwal, J. P.
    • Ladha ,J. K.
    • Gupta, R. K.
    • Jat, M. L.
    • Singh, S.
  • Source: ACIAR PROCEEDINGS
  • Issue: 127
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Resource-conserving technologies with double no-till practices represent a major shift in production techniques for attaining optimal productivity, profitability and water use in rice-wheat (RW) systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Permanent raised beds (PRB) and double no-till with flat layouts are under evaluation for RW systems for a range of soils, climate, cultivars and seeding/crop establishment techniques (dry seeding, transplanting). To date, results have been inconsistent and systematic information on trials with PRB is lacking. Four researcher- and farmer-managed experiments were conducted with various tillage and crop establishment techniques for RW on PRB and flat layouts. The yield of rice on PRB was significantly lower than that on double no-till flat layouts, whereas wheat yield was highest on PRB. The total RW system yield with PRB was similar to that of other tillage and crop establishment techniques. However, irrigation and input (irrigation plus rain) water productivity (kg grain/m 3 of water) of both rice and wheat was much higher on PRB. In farmer-managed trials of transplanted basmati rice on PRB, profitability was highest on PRB (US$684/ha) and lowest with traditional practices (US$531/ha). In a researcher-managed long-term experiment, the soil physical properties (bulk density, mean weight diameter of aggregates, cone index and infiltration rate) improved significantly on PRB compared with the conventional puddled transplanted rice-tilled wheat system.
  • Authors:
    • Jain, L.
    • Kothari, A.
    • Sharma, S.
    • Balyan, J.
    • Jat, M.
  • Source: Journal of Maharashtra Agricultural Universities
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2001-2004 at Dryland Farming Research Station, Arjia, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, India, to study the suitability of different cropping system of maize and land treatments for reducing runoff and soil loss. Among the land treatments, flat sowing and ridging after first inter-cultural operation in maize was found more effective in reducing runoff and soil loss thereby increasing the yield of maize. Whereas, among cropping systems, intercropping of maize+black gram (2:2) was found more effective in reducing runoff and soil loss and thereby increasing crop yields as compared to sole maize and black gram.
  • Authors:
    • Munir, A.
    • Ramzan, M.
    • Mann, R. A.
  • Source: International Journal of Agriculture & Biology
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Wheat and rice are the major food staples around the globe including Pakistan. The challenge of increasing food production in the next 20 years to match population growth is daunting and warrants improvement in the quality of natural resources for growing more food from marginal and degraded lands. Cost of cultivation must be reduced and at the same time, efficiency of resources like irrigation water, fuel, fertilizers must be improved to make the crop production system more viable and eco-friendly. Resource Conserving Technology (RCT) must figure highly in this equation since it plays a crucial role in achieving the above goals. The RCTs include laser land leveling, zero-tillage, bed furrow irrigation method and crop residue management. These technologies were evaluated in irrigated areas of Punjab province where rice follows wheat. Water use efficiency was increased by 20% in laser leveled fields. Zero-tillage technology resulted in a significant saving of irrigation water (22%), fuel (78%), cultivation (88%) and herbicide use (33%) compared to conventional, thus increasing yields and farmer's profits. Soil properties and microbial population including bacteria, fungi and actinomyces improved in the zero-till fields. Planting of wheat on raised beds is making headway in low-lying and poorly drained areas. Thus, resource conservation tillage technology provides a tool for making progress towards improving and sustaining wheat production, helping with food security and poverty alleviation in Pakistan in the next few decades.
  • Authors:
    • Rani, K. U.
    • Madhavi, M.
    • Ramesh, G.
    • Sankar, G. M.
    • Ravindrachary, G.
    • Adake, R. V.
    • Grace, J. K.
    • Korwar, G. R.
    • Mishra, P. K.
    • Srinivas, K.
    • Mandal, U. K.
    • Jain, P. M.
    • Jat, M. L.
    • Kothari, A. K.
    • Laddha, K. C.
    • Sharma, K. L.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Dryland Agricultural Research and Development
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Rainfed soils of Arjia region, Gujarat, India, which are under maize based production system, are damaged due to several soil related productivity constraints such as loss of topsoil causing severe soil erosion. The yield levels of majority of the crops grown in these soils are low. Soil quality deterioration has been the major bottleneck in realizing the higher levels of crop yields in this rainfed region. Hence, there was a need to identify and adopt appropriate soil and plant management practices that reduce soil degradation or maintain and improve soil quality at a desirable level. In view of the above, a long-term experiment was adopted for assessing soil quality as influenced by different soil-nutrient and other management practices followed at All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture centre of Arjia. Soil samples were analysed for 19 physical, chemical and biological soil quality parameters and soil quality indices were worked out using deviation method. From the viewpoint of soil quality improvement or soil aggradation, combination of conventional tillage + 2 weedicides + hoeing + 100% organic N ranked as superior among most treatment with the relative soil quality index value as high as 0.95 under maize-blackgram system. Further, cropping systems adjoining to the experimental station were also evaluated for soil quality. In the farmers' fields, the order of the systems in aggrading soil quality was as: maize-blackgram (1.00) > groundnut-sesame (0.75), > groundnut-taramira (0.72). The full paper deals in length about the extent and magnitude of changes in soil quality parameters and relative soil quality indices.
  • Authors:
    • Sharma, S. K.
    • Kothari, A. K.
    • Sharma, R. K.
    • Jain, P. M.
  • Source: Journal of Agrometeorology
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: Special issue 1
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: This paper draws on experiences with several participatory research activities carried out during 2005 and 2006 in the context of an Operational Research Project of All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland areas carried out at the village Pathliyas situated in Mangarope watershed, Rajasthan, India. Data on the climatic constraints, drought and use of agro-advisory services from 45 households were collected to identify key track indicators for measuring community progress. The yield gap analysis of different crops in the watershed region presented indicated that technology gap existing between the potential and demonstrable yields was not substantial. Thus, it was possible to replicate the results obtained in research experiments in on-farm situation. The technology index varied from 20 to 47% which gave evidence that there was scope for further improvement in the productivity. The adoption of contingency plan for mitigating aberrant weather situation revealed that the adoption of different dryland technologies varied from 10 to 88%. During 2006-07, there was 30 days early onset of monsoon so sowing of maize and groundnut was forbidden based on land topography. Village survey result indicated that out of total cropped area (100 ha), maize and groundnut crops were sown on 35 and 10% of the area until the second week of June. Only 5% of the area was sown with the recommended agro-advisory services. However, the success rate of such farmers was not more than 10%. Thus, for higher sustainability, equality and stability of production, the agro-advisory services must be a vital component of action research and more emphasis should be given to capitalize on them.
  • Authors:
    • Parvender, S.
    • Sukhvinder, S.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Dryland Agricultural Research and Development
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: To study the impact of different cultural and chemical weed management practices alone and in combination on maize under rainfed conditions, a field experiment was conducted during 1996 and 1997 at farmer's fields in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India, as a part of All India Coordinated Operational Research Project for Dryland Agriculture. There were 8 weed control treatments, i.e. weedy control, one hoeing at 15 days after sowing (DAS) alone and in combination with cut grass as mulch, 2 hoeings at 15 and 30 DAS, pre-emergence application of atrazine at 0.63 kg/ha alone and in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS, post-emergence application of atrazine at 0.63 kg/ha in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS, pre-emergence application of alachlor at 2.50 kg/ha in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS. The important weed species in the field were Echinochloa colonum [ E. colona], Cyperus rotundus, Eleusine aegyptiacum [ Dactyloctenium aegyptium], Digera arvensis, Commelina benghalensis and Sorghum halepense. The pre-emergence application of atrazine in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS resulted in the lowest weed density, total weed dry weight and highest mean grain yield (31.34 q ha -1) and was statistically at par with pre-emergence application of alachlor in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS (29.86 q ha -1) and post-emergence application of atrazine in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS (28.86 q ha -1). Application of atrazine (pre or post emergence) in combination with one hoeing at 35 DAS resulted in 7.48% higher mean grain yield over application of atrazine alone, while the same recorded 20.46% yield increase over 2 hoeings at 15 and 30 DAS, indicating the beneficial effect of chemical weed control compared to hoeing in the initial stages of crop growth.
  • Authors:
    • Nayyar, A.
    • Bijay, S.
    • Humphreys, E.
    • Brar, N.
    • Yadvinder, S.
    • Timsina, J.
  • Source: ACIAR Proceedings Series
  • Issue: 127
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Rice-wheat (RW) is the dominant cropping system in north-western India and is of immense importance for national food security. However, the sustainability of the RW system is threatened by water shortage and nutrient mining. Permanent bed RW systems with crop residue retention have been proposed as a means of reducing irrigation water use, improving soil properties and reducing the cost of crop establishment. A field experiment was conducted over 4 years in Punjab, India, to compare conventional and permanent bed RW cropping systems, with and without retention of crop residues, in terms of crop performance and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Two methods of rice establishment (transplanting and dry seeding) were included on both beds and flats with four N application rates (0, 80, 120, 160 kg N/ha). Rice grain yield increased significantly as N rate increased up to 160 kg N/ha irrespective of method of rice establishment. Puddled transplanted rice (PTR) was always superior to all other establishment methods in terms of biomass, yield and NUE. At 120 kg N/ha, yield of transplanted rice on permanent beds (TRB) was 29% lower than yield of PTR, while yield of direct-seeded rice on permanent beds (DSRB) was even lower (44% lower than yield of TRB). Wheat straw mulch further reduced yield of DSRB by 26% on average, but there was no effect of mulching on yield of TRB. Dry-seeded rice on flats and beds was prone to severe iron deficiency and root nematode infestation. Yield of DSRB relative to yield of PTR declined as the beds aged but there was no trend in relative yield of TRB. Recovery of fertiliser 15N in the straw plus grain was 30% in PTR compared with 14% for TRB and 17% for DSRB. The majority (65-83%) of the crop N uptake was derived from the soil in all treatments despite the application of urea at 120 kg N/ha. Total N losses from the urea N applied to rice ranged from 52% to 60% in TRB and DSRB compared with 38% in PTR. Wheat yield increased with N rate up to 120 kg N/ha, with further significant response to 160 kg N/ha in 2 of the 4 years. Wheat grain yield on permanent beds after TRB and DSRB was 75-96% of that of conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), with no trend in relative yield over time as the beds aged. Grain yield of wheat was similar in CTW and direct-drilled ('zero-till') wheat (DDW) on the flat. The 15N recovery in the wheat plants in all flat and bed treatments was similar. Straw mulch had no effect on yield or NUE of wheat. Recoveries of applied N in the wheat plants (27-38%) and soil (45-59%) were much higher than in rice. Total fertiliser N losses were much lower in wheat (mean 14-21%) compared with rice (mean 38-60%). After eight crops, soil organic C, total N and available K were significantly higher with straw mulch compared with no mulch. Permanent beds for RW seem to have limited potential under the soil and climatic conditions of Punjab, India, with current technology, even with full residue retention for both crops. Further research on permanent raised beds should focus on selection of rice and wheat cultivars that are better suited to beds; soil health issues such as nematodes and iron deficiency; weed control; N, water and residue management; and machinery development and practices.
  • Authors:
    • Roberts, T. L.
  • Source: Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Volume: 32
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Public interest and awareness of the need for improving nutrient use efficiency is great, but nutrient use efficiency is easily misunderstood. Four indices of nutrient use efficiency are reviewed and an example of different applications of the terminology show that the same data set might be used to calculate a fertilizer N efficiency of 21% or 100%. Fertilizer N recovery efficiencies from researcher managed experiments for major grain crops range from 46% to 65%, compared to on-farm N recovery efficiencies of 20% to 40%. Fertilizer use efficiency can be optimized by fertilizer best management practices that apply nutrients at the right rate, time, and place. The highest nutrient use efficiency always occurs at the lower parts of the yield response curve, where fertilizer inputs are lowest, but effectiveness of fertilizers in increasing crop yields and optimizing farmer profitability should not be sacrificed for the sake of efficiency alone. There must be a balance between optimal nutrient use efficiency and optimal crop productivity.