Kharif Sorghum in Karnataka: An Economic Analysis

Sorghum, which once occupied more than 18 M ha of area in the country, has been on a continuous decline during the past two decades and has fallen down to 10.39 M ha. Most of the decline in area has occurred in kharif sorghum. This warrants critical examination of the changing scenario of kharif sorghum and identification of the reasons thereof. For the macro analysis, secondary data on various aspects of kharif sorghum have been used, whereas the farm survey data have been used to draw the inferences at the micro level with respect to changing scenario of kharif sorghum. The growth rates in area, production and productivity of kharif sorghum have been computed. The Herfindahl index has been computed to find out crop diversification in the sample districts of Dharwad and Belgaun. The deceleration in the kharif sorghum area in the overall period 1970-71 to 1997-98 and different sub-periods has been found due to the diversion of kharif sorghum area to more remunerative crops like oil seeds (groundnut and sunflower), and pulses. Belgaum district displayed a moderate degree of crop diversification compared to that of Dharwad district. Unfavourable prices, declining yields, inadequate credit and adverse climatic conditions have been identified as the major reasons for the replacement of kharif sorghum crop in the two sample districts. The net returns and benefit-cost ratio have been found low in the cultivation of kharif sorghum compared to those of its competing crops, viz. cotton, green gram and groundnut.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Kharif Sorghum in Karnataka: An Economic Analysis

Sorghum, which once occupied more than 18 M ha of area in the country, has been on a continuous decline during the past two decades and has fallen down to 10.39 M ha. Most of the decline in area has occurred in kharif sorghum. This warrants critical examination of the changing scenario of kharif sorghum and identification of the reasons thereof. For the macro analysis, secondary data on various aspects of kharif sorghum have been used, whereas the farm survey data have been used to draw the inferences at the micro level with respect to changing scenario of kharif sorghum. The growth rates in area, production and productivity of kharif sorghum have been computed. The Herfindahl index has been computed to find out crop diversification in the sample districts of Dharwad and Belgaun. The deceleration in the kharif sorghum area in the overall period 1970-71 to 1997-98 and different sub-periods has been found due to the diversion of kharif sorghum area to more remunerative crops like oil seeds (groundnut and sunflower), and pulses. Belgaum district displayed a moderate degree of crop diversification compared to that of Dharwad district. Unfavourable prices, declining yields, inadequate credit and adverse climatic conditions have been identified as the major reasons for the replacement of kharif sorghum crop in the two sample districts. The net returns and benefit-cost ratio have been found low in the cultivation of kharif sorghum compared to those of its competing crops, viz. cotton, green gram and groundnut

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted during rabi 2011 at Research farm, Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS), Bijapur on a deep black soil under rainfed condition to study the effect of different tillage practices imposed during kharif and different nitrogen sources on rabi sunflower growth and yield. Tillage practices had no significant effect on growth and yield of sunflower crop. Yield components like number of seeds per head (1068.6) and seed weight per head (55.1 g) were significantly higher with the minimum tillage while tillage practices did not show significant influence on seed yield and stalk yield. Sunflower fertilized with 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) recorded significantly higher germination percentage, plant height, number of leaves, leaf area index, dry matter production than rest of the treatments. Yield attributes viz. head diameter (10.6 cm) and number of seeds per head (1174.8) were significantly higher with 100% RDF (35:50:35 N: P2O5 : K2O kg ha -1 ) but on par with in- situ sunnhemp green manure incorporation @ 2.5 t ha -1+ 50% recommended dose of nitrogen through urea and in -situ sunnhemp green manure incorporation @ 5 t ha -1. Seed yield (1187 kg ha -1) and stalk yield (2484 kg ha -1) of sunflower were significantly higher with 100% RDF over farmers’ practice (24:30:0 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha -1) but was on par with rest of the treatments. Reducing the tillage intensity did not significantly influence yields and substituting 50% nitrogen through organic sources produced yields comparable to that of inorganic source of nitrogen application.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableReducing tillage intensity and addition/ recycling of organic matter are two important components of conservation agriculture which contributes towards the buildup of soil organic carbon (SOC) but their impact on crop yields and extent of SOC buildup is not known under rainfed conditions in tropical regions. A long-term (10 years) experiment was conducted to study the impact of reduced tillage systems and addition of organic matter on sorghum – sunflower yields and organic carbon buildup. Split-plot design was used, in which the main factor was different tillage systems and sub plots consists of addition of organic matter ranging from 2.5 to 5 t-1ha-1 year compared with that of farmers’ practice of application of chemical fertilizers. Sorghum yields were higher by 10% in conventional tillage over minimum tillage but the differences were not significant between the three tillage systems. Grain yields of sorghum (14.3 q ha-1) and sunflower (9.1 q ha-1) were highest with 100% recommended dose of fertilizers. Differences in total carbon (TC), inorganic carbon (TIC) and organic carbon (TOC) levels between tillage treatments and organic matter additions after 10 years of cropping were not significant, but higher in comparison to the fallow land use. Improvement in the SOC level in 0 - 20 cm depth ranged from 1.60 to 3.56 Mg C ha-1 due to various tillage and nitrogen sources over a period of 10 years resulting in C sequestration rates of 160 to 356 kg C ha-1yr-1. Reducing the tillage intensity did not have a significant influence on crop yields and application of recommended dose of nitrogen either through organic or chemical fertilizers contributed to carbon sequestration.Not Availabl