Sustainable intensification for a larger global rice bowl.

Future rice systems must produce more grain while minimizing the negative environmental impacts. A key question is how to orient agricultural research & development (R&D) programs at national to global scales to maximize the return on investment. Here we assess yield gap and resource-use efficiency (including water, pesticides, nitrogen, labor, energy, and associated global warming potential) across 32 rice cropping systems covering half of global rice harvested area. We show that achieving high yields and high resource-use efficiencies are not conflicting goals. Most cropping systems have room for increasing yield, resource-use efficiency, or both. In aggregate, current total rice production could be increased by 32%, and excess nitrogen almost eliminated, by focusing on a relatively small number of cropping systems with either large yield gaps or poor resource-use efficiencies. This study provides essential strategic insight on yield gap and resource-use efficiency for prioritizing national and global agricultural R&D investments to ensure adequate rice supply while minimizing negative environmental impact in coming decades

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Not AvailableThe cat tail (Typha elephantina), a non-food commercial crop grows as an emergent hydrophyte in tidal waterlogged areas. Its leaves are used for preparing mats and used as roof top and wall partition. Typha sp. has been found to be efficient accumulator of N from sediment under waterlogged condition. The N utilization mainly through nitrate reductase (NR) activity was studied in Typha with four levels of N fertilizers i.e. 0,30 and 60 and 90 kg ha-1 applied at three stages of plant growth i.e. basal, 3 and 6 month after planting. In general, there was reduction in NR activity under waterlogged condition in Typha. But application of @ 90 kg ha-1 maintained high NR activity when it was applied as basal stage. Basal application of N was found better than its application at 3 or 6 month stage of crop growth. The higher leaf NR activity at 60 and 90 kg ha-1 N application level suggested better N utilization under waterlogged environment. The photosynthesis rate showed significant increase with higher N application concomitant with greater stomatal conductance (r = 0.84 * * ; n = 12). There was significant increase in leaf yield when N was applied @ 90 kg ha-1 N level as basal dosage as compared to later stage (3 or 6 months) of crop growth. The highest fertilizer use efficiency (kg dry leaf kg-1 applied N) was also found at 90 kg N ha-1 as compared to 30 or 60 kg ha-1 N level, which corroborated superior N fertilizer utilization ability of Typha under waterlogged condition.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableQuantitative techniques such as simulation modelling and optimization play a vital role in the management of complex groundwater systems. This study demonstrates the combined use of groundwater-flow and resource optimization models to scientifically address the water scarcity problem in well-based command areas through a case study in eastern India. A transient simulation-optimization model was developed for the study area using Visual MODFLOW (groundwater-flow simulation tool) and the response-matrix technique to maximize pumping from the existing tubewells. The optimized maximum pumping rates obtained from the integrated simulation-optimization model were further used in linear programming-based optimization models to determine optimal cropping patterns for the wet, normal and dry scenarios. The net annual income from the optimal cropping patterns for the wet, normal and dry scenarios were estimated at Rs. 81.8 million, Rs. 76.4 million and Rs. 71.6 million, respectively. The results of simulation-optimization modelling indicated that if the suggested optimal cropping patterns are adopted in the study area, the net annual irrigation water requirements will be reduced by 28, 35 and 40%, and net annual income will be increased by 28, 23 and 17% during wet, normal and dry scenarios, respectively.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableQuantitative techniques such as simulation modelling and optimization play a vital role in the management of complex ground-water systems. This study demonstrates the combined use of groundwater-flow and resource optimization models to scientif-ically address the water scarcity problem in well-based command areas through a case study in eastern India. A transientsimulation-optimization model was developed for the study area using Visual MODFLOW (groundwater-flow simulation tool)and the response-matrix technique to maximize pumping from the existing tubewells. The optimized maximum pumping ratesobtained from the integrated simulation-optimization model were further used in linear programming-based optimizationmodels to determine optimal cropping patterns for the wet, normal and dry scenarios. The net annual income from the optimalcropping patterns for the wet, normal and dry scenarios were estimated at Rs. 81.8 million, Rs. 76.4 million and Rs. 71.6 mil-lion, respectively. The results of simulation-optimization modelling indicated that if the suggested optimal cropping patternsare adopted in the study area, the net annual irrigation water requirements will be reduced by 28, 35 and 40%, and net annualincome will be increased by 28, 23 and 17% during wet, normal and dry scenarios, respectively. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley& Sons, Ltd.Not Availabl

An efficient synthesis of (2, 3 and 22, 23)-diepoxybrassinosteroids and their plant growth promoting activity^†

955-959A highly efficient synthesis of (2,3 and 22,23)-diepoxybrassinosteroids using molecular oxygen, benzaldehyde and transition metal oxides as catalysts has been achieved and they showed moderate plant growth promoting activity

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FolderPost-flood management, flood frequency, extent and possible scenariosICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswa

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Journal articleGravity flow on field to field flooding basis is prevalent in most of the canal command areas in India. Furthermore, the canals being mostly unlined and at many sections ill maintained, enormous conveyance loss of water occurs causing dwindling crop production. Hirakud canal command area located in India is no exception to this predicament. Thus, augmentation of irrigation infrastructures vis-à-vis prudent crop planning is of paramount importance for increasing the overall efficiency of the canal system. This paper describes development of optimal crop planning in the Hirakud command area by considering different objectives of planning (scenarios) so that improvement in irrigation efficiency, in terms of water productivity could be feasible. Among various scenarios, the cropping pattern obtained under Scenario—II, i.e. to utilize the maximum area for cultivation, under the constraint of limiting water availability for each outlet was found to be feasible for optimal land and water utilization and generation of requisite employment. However, keeping in view the affinity of the farmers towards paddy (a heavy duty crop), Scenario—III i.e. to utilize the maximum area for cultivation with the constraints of limited irrigation water availability, and providing irrigation to heavy duty crops for at least one-third of the culturable command area of each outlet, can be adopted.Not Availabl

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FolderICAR flexible check dam, advantages of rubber dam, fixed and variable cost, water storage at different heights of rubber dam and bed slope, impact on income of the farmers and benefits over vonventional system, technology dissemination, technology commercializationICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswa

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Not AvailableGravity flow on field to field flooding basis is prevalent in most of the canal command areas in India. Furthermore, the canals being mostly unlined and at many sections ill maintained, enormous conveyance loss of water occurs causing dwindling crop production. Hirakud canal command area located in India is no exception to this predicament. Thus, augmentation of irrigation infrastructures vis-à-vis prudent crop planning is of paramount importance for increasing the overall efficiency of the canal system. This paper describes development of optimal crop planning in the Hirakud command area by considering different objectives of planning (scenarios) so that improvement in irrigation efficiency, in terms of water productivity could be feasible. Among various scenarios, the cropping pattern obtained under Scenario—II, i.e. to utilize the maximum area for cultivation, under the constraint of limiting water availability for each outlet was found to be feasible for optimal land and water utilization and generation of requisite employment. However, keeping in view the affinity of the farmers towards paddy (a heavy duty crop), Scenario—III i.e. to utilize the maximum area for cultivation with the constraints of limited irrigation water availability, and providing irrigation to heavy duty crops for at least one-third of the culturable command area of each outlet, can be adopted.Not Availabl