Efficiency of plant nutrient enhancer for sustainable agriculture in diverse agro-ecosystem

Agriculture is a dominant sector in India, thanks largely to the Green Revolution. Though it has enhanced agricultural production, productivity, and the country’s economy, long-term studies show that synthetic fertilizers and agrochemicals injudiciously deplete soil fertility and disrupt the soil ecology. In this context, a few traditional farming practices (such as Homa farming, Biodynamic farming, Agroecological farming, Permaculture, and Natural farming, under the umbrella of “Organic farming”) appear to be a viable alternative for resolving the majority of the problems associated with conventional input-intensive agriculture. Natural farming, in particular, is lately become a catchphrase amongst farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders. In its broadest meaning, natural farming is practicing agriculture that adheres to nature’s laws by considering the balance of natural biodiversity around the farm to ensure the least disruption to agroecology. The nutrient management in natural farming practice broadly revolves around the management of plant nutrient enhancers viz; Jeevamrut, Ghanjeevamrut and Beejamrut coupled with other components like Achchhadan (mulching), and mix cropping. Different farm-based fermented concoctions, named as Jeevamrut, Ghanjeevamrut and Beejamrut, are added to the soil or used to treat seeds to revitalize the soil microflora, and so to enhance soil fertility. The different studies revealed that nutritional and microbial analysis of the Jeevamrut exhibited the presence of different macro- and micro-nutrients and a large population of essential microbes including Azotobacter sp., Actinomycetes sp., and phosphate solubilizers. The microbial counts increased from its initial values with time as the incubation progressed. Different reviews have been reported for variations in the microbial counts (bacteria and fungi) as well as nutrient contents in the Jeevamrut prepared from different sources. Application methods of the Jeevamrut have also their impact on its efficiency. The solid form of the Jeevamrut, Ghanjeevamrut; also have great nutritional content and culturable microbial count compared to the Jeevamrut and FYM. The impact of application methods of a fermented concoction called Beejamrut, have also been varied for germination, vigor, and protection of seeds, seedlings, etc., from soil- and seed-borne pathogens, according to different studies

Zero budget natural farming practices on yield of crops (Maize + soybean and Pea + coriander) in mid hill of Sikkim Himalayas

Natural Farming (NF) is an alternative low-input, climate-resilient farming practice that have emerged to reduce input costs and higher yields for farmers from locally available inputs by eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers and improving soil fertility. In this article, it was physico-chemically characterized the different formulations (jeevamrit, ghanjeevamrit and beejamrit) for different parameters and found that it varies at different interval days. This present article mainly focused on the different cropping system of the natural farming and also evaluating the economics of the returns with the conventional farming system. Therefore, the cropping system practiced are Maize and soybean during kharif season followed by vegetable pea and coriander during the rabi season. Result for the different natural farming practices in soybean + maize intercropping revealed that the maximum sole yield was recorded under AI-NPOF packages with 26.1 q/ha followed by complete natural farming with 21.4 q/ha whereas other treatments remained non-significant. In intercropping, the yield was found to be maximum under complete natural farming with (35.9 q/ha). The system BC ratio was highest under AI-NPOF Packages (1.82) followed by complete natural farming (1.20). In the pea-coriander system, the higher sole yield was recorded under AI-NPOF package with (70 q/ha) followed by complete NF (61.4 q/ha). The intercropping yield and vegetable pea equivalent were highest under complete NF. The result indicated that in natural farming, the vegetable-based cropping system was profitable in comparison to the maize based in terms of the net returns

Evaluation of different fungicides against afla rot, Aspergillus flavus Link in groundnut

Four systemic, four non-systemic and two combined fungicides at different concentrations were tested in vitro through poison food technique against Aspergillus flavus (Link), a causal organism of afla rot of groundnut. All the fungicides with their respective concentration were found inhibitory to the radial growth of A. flavus. Among all the systemic fungicides the highest growth inhibition of 99.99 per cent was recorded with tebuconazole 25% EC at all concentration (100, 250 and 500 ppm) followed by carbendazim 50% WP at 500 ppm (99.99%), 250 ppm (85.64%) and 100 ppm (82.64%) and hexaconazole 5% EC at 500 ppm (99.99%), 250 ppm (84.75%) and 100 ppm (77.58%). Among non-systemic fungicides, the highest growth inhibition of 90.88, 86.01 and 81.19 per cent were recorded with mancozeb 75% WP at 1500, 1000 and 500 ppm concentration, respectively. Among the combined fungicides, the highest growth inhibition 99.99 per cent was recorded with Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP at concentrations of 1500, 1000 and 500 ppm, respectively

Bio-efficacy of newer insecticides and bio-pesticides against termite on chickpea in arid region of Rajasthan

The seed treatment, as well as soil application of imidacloprid 600 FS @ 5 ml/kg + Beauveria bassiana 1.15 WP @ 2 kg /ha, was found most effective against termite (9.34% plant damage) after 110 days of crop sowing, followed by fipronil 5 SC @ 5 ml/ kg + Metarrihizium anisopliae 1.15 WP @ 2 kg/ha (10%) and clothianidin 50 WDG @ 2 g/ kg + Beauveria bassiana 1.15 WP @ 2 kg /ha (10.62%). The treatments alone seed treatment of imidacloprid 600 FS @ 5 ml/ kg seed (11.56%) followed by fipronil 5 SC @ 5 ml/ kg seed (12.03%) and clothianidin 50 WDG @ 2 g/ kg seed (12.65%) were found moderately effective while, bio-pesticides viz., Metarrihizium anisopliae 1.15 WP @ 2 kg/ha and Beauveria bassiana 1.15 WP @ 2 kg /ha with 15.78 and 15.47 per cent plant damage were found least effective for controlling the termite population. The maximum yield was obtained in imidacloprid 600 FS + Beauveria bassiana 1.15 WP (18.70 q ha-1) followed by fipronil 5 SC + Metarrihizium anisopliae 1.15 WP (18.20 q ha-1) and clothianidin 50 WDG + Beauveria bassiana1.15 WP (18.00 q ha-1), respectively

Developed the fungicide schedule for the management of early blight in potato in Rajasthan

Field experiments were conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Kota to develop a fungicide spray schedule for the management of early blight (Alternaria alternata), the most significant foliar disease of potato during the year 2018-19 and 2019-20. The protective and curative activity of fungicides were assessed in field studies. All spray schedules inhibited disease progress and enhanced total tuber yields compared with unsprayed plots. Most minor disease severity (11.40%) with the highest disease control (74.32%) was recorded in the treatment (T3), where the first spray of mancozeb 75WP (0.25%) was followed by a second spray of difenoconazole 25% EC (0.05%) and a third spray of mancozeb 75WP (0.25%) at 10 days interval was applied. The second-best treatment was T2, where the first spray of mancozeb 75WP (0.25%) was followed by a second spray of hexaconazole 5EC (0.05%) and a third spray of mancozeb 75WP (0.25%) at 10 days interval (17.10% & 61.48) was applied. The higher tuber yield was achieved in the treatment T3 with the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.18). Thus, a spray schedule consisting of preventive and curative fungicides may be recommended to effectively manage early blight and higher tuber yield in south eastern Rajasthan