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Not AvailableA study was conducted to assess the status of available secondary nutrients (Ca, Mg and S) along with physico-chemical properties of soils under continuous vegetable based cropping systems at the Central Research Farm of Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi situated at 82.52°E longitude and 25.10°N latitude in the alluvial belt of Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The soils at this farm have been under continuous vegetable cultivation with the exception of intermittent cultivation of paddy in some blocks for the last 15 years. The experimental farm has a total area of 45 ha spread over 16 blocks. The analysis of soil samples collected from different blocks for various physico-chemical properties and status of secondary nutrients revealed that the soils of the research farm were neutral to slightly alkaline in reaction having pH in the range of 6.61 to 7.82 with a mean value of 7.29. Electrical conductivity was found within the normal limits (ranged from 0.09 to 0.76 dSm-1 with a mean value of 0.28 dSm-1). Twenty two per cent soil samples of the research farm were found low, 73 per cent medium and rest 5 per cent high in organic carbon content. Water retention at field capacity and permanent wilting points was 25.6 and 6.3 per cent, respectively, and available water content was estimated to be 19.4 per cent. The soils of the entire farm were found to be silt loam in texture. Among the secondary nutrients, available Ca ranged from 1206 to 2302 ppm, whereas, available Mg ranged from 164 to 723 ppm, which indicated that these soils are sufficient in calcium and magnesium. With regard to the status of available sulfur, 3 per cent soils were found to be in low, 13 per cent in medium and 84 per cent in high range.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted to study the effect of drip irrigation quantity and mulching on crop growth, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of tomato grown during the rabi seasons of 2007 and 2008. Two levels of drip irrigation (I1, irrigation with V volume of water; I2, with 0.5V volume of water) and four types of plastic mulch (M0, without mulch; M1, yellow polythene; M2, transparent polythene; M3 black polythene) treatments were applied to tomato planted on a sandy loam soil. Results indicated that the photosynthetic traits such as; chlorophyll content, initial fluorescence (F0), and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) were significantly higher under I1 and black polythene mulch. Dry matter production under drip irrigation with V (_100% PE) quantity of water was 33.2% more than with 0.5V. Polythene mulching remarkably improved the plant biomass, and plants mulched with black polythene registered 94.7% higher dry matter over unmulched control. Drip irrigation with V quantity of water (I1) resulted in significantly higher fruit yield (2.71 kg/plant and 847.52 q/ha). Maximum fruit yield (2.66 kg/plant and 851.59q/ha) was recorded with black polythene mulch. Weed growth under 0.5 V (I2) was significantly lower (25% less) than I1. All kinds of plastic mulches gave significant weed control, however, the highest weed reduction (89% over control) was observed with black polythene mulch. Maximum WUE of 49.60 kg/mm-ha was obtained in I2, whereas, among mulches WUE was maximum with black polythene (46.03 kg/mm-ha).Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted to study the effect of drip irrigation quantity and mulching on crop growth, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of tomato grown during the rabi seasons of 2007 and 2008. Two levels of drip irrigation (I1, irrigation with V volume of water; I2, with 0.5V volume of water) and four types of plastic mulch (M0, without mulch; M1, yellow polythene; M2, transparent polythene; M3 black polythene) treatments were applied to tomato planted on a sandy loam soil. Results indicated that the photosynthetic traits such as; chlorophyll content, initial fluorescence (F0), and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) were significantly higher under I1 and black polythene mulch. Dry matter production under drip irrigation with V (˜100% PE) quantity of water was 33.2% more than with 0.5V. Polythene mulching remarkably improved the plant biomass, and plants mulched with black polythene registered 94.7% higher dry matter over unmulched control. Drip irrigation with V quantity of water (I1) resulted in significantly higher fruit yield (2.71 kg/plant and 847.52 q/ha). Maximum fruit yield (2.66 kg/plant and 851.59 q/ha) was recorded with black polythene mulch. Weed growth under 0.5 V (I2) was significantly lower (25% less) than I1. All kinds of plastic mulches gave significant weed control, however, the highest weed reduction (89% over control) was observed with black polythene mulch. Maximum WUE of 49.60 kg/mm-ha was obtained in I2, whereas, among mulches WUE was maximum with black polythene (46.03 kg/mm-ha).Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted to study the effect of drip irrigation quantity and mulching on crop growth, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of tomato grown during the rabi seasons of 2007 and 2008. Two levels of drip irrigation (I1, irrigation with V volume of water; I2, with 0.5V volume of water) and four types of plastic mulch (M0, without mulch; M1, yellow polythene; M2, transparent polythene; M3 black polythene) treatments were applied to tomato planted on a sandy loam soil. Results indicated that the photosynthetic traits such as; chlorophyll content, initial fluorescence (F0), and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) were significantly higher under I1 and black polythene mulch. Dry matter production under drip irrigation with V (˜100% PE) quantity of water was 33.2% more than with 0.5V. Polythene mulching remarkably improved the plant biomass, and plants mulched with black polythene registered 94.7% higher dry matter over unmulched control. Drip irrigation with V quantity of water (I1) resulted in significantly higher fruit yield (2.71 kg/plant and 847.52 q/ha). Maximum fruit yield (2.66 kg/plant and 851.59 q/ha) was recorded with black polythene mulch. Weed growth under 0.5 V (I2) was significantly lower (25% less) than I1. All kinds of plastic mulches gave significant weed control, however, the highest weed reduction (89% over control) was observed with black polythene mulch. Maximum WUE of 49.60 kg/mm-ha was obtained in I2, whereas, among mulches WUE was maximum with black polythene (46.03 kg/mm-ha).Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA study was conducted to assess the status of available secondary nutrients (Ca, Mg and S) along with physico-chemical properties of soils under continuous vegetable based cropping systems at the Central Research Farm of Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi situated at 82.52°E longitude and 25.10°N latitude in the alluvial belt of Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The soils at this farm have been under continuous vegetable cultivation with the exception of intermittent cultivation of paddy in some blocks for the last 15 years. The experimental farm has a total area of 45 ha spread over 16 blocks. The analysis of soil samples collected from different blocks for various physico-chemical properties and status of secondary nutrients revealed that the soils of the research farm were neutral to slightly alkaline in reaction having pH in the range of 6.61 to 7.82 with a mean value of 7.29. Electrical conductivity was found within the normal limits (ranged from 0.09 to 0.76 dSm−1 with a mean value of 0.28 dSm−1).Twentytwoper centsoilsamplesoftheresearch farm were found low, 73 per cent medium and rest 5 per cent high in organic carbon content. Water retention at field capacity and permanent wilting points was 25.6 and 6.3 per cent, respectively, and available water content was estimated to be 19.4 per cent. The soils of the entire farm were found to be silt loam in texture. Among the secondary nutrients, available Ca ranged from 1206 to 2302 ppm, whereas, available Mg ranged from 164 to 723 ppm, which indicated that these soils are sufficient in calcium and magnesium. With regard to the status of available sulfur, 3 per cent soils were found to be in low, 13 per cent in medium and 84 per cent in high range.Not Availabl

Sustainable intensification influences soil quality, biota, and productivity in cereal-based agroecosystems

Monotonous rice-wheat cropping system with conventional management practices have resulted in declining soil quality and biota in addition to low input factor productivity and farmer’s profitability in western Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) of India. Conservation agriculture (CA) based sustainable intensification (SI) is required to improve the soil quality while improving the productivity and profitability. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of CA based management practices such as zero tillage (ZT), direct seeding of rice (DSR), crop di- versification, residue recycling and legume integration for SI in comparison to conventional management on soil quality and biota in cereal (rice and maize) based cropping systems. Fourteen treatments were included in which four treatments (T1–T4) with rice–wheat and two treatments (T11–T12) with maize-wheat system were based on conventional management, while six treatments (T5–T10) with rice–wheat and two (T13–T14) with maize-wheat were based on CA management practices. Conservation agriculture based SI of maize-wheat-mungbean (T14) recorded lower soil bulk density (1.33 Mg m−3). Soil organic carbon (OC) was increased by 83% and 72% with CA based rice-wheat-mungbean (T10) and maize-wheat-mungbean (T14) system, respectively and it was at par with T9 and T12 compared to farmer’s practice (T1) (4.6 g kg−1). Mean microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) were 213% and 293% higher with T14 over T1 (646 and 201 μg g−1 dry soil), respectively. However, T10 recorded 117% and 171% higher MBC and MBN, respectively compared to T1. Dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) were improved by 210% and 49% under T14; 140% and 42% under T10 compared to T1 (180 μg TPF g−1 soil 24 h−1 and 144 μg p-nitrophenol g−1h−1), respectively. Mean number of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were increased by 28%, 68%, 98% respectively, under T14 relative to T1, and at par with T12 and T10. Most abundant micro-arthropod group belonged to Collembola followed by Acari and Protura, irrespective of treatments. Higher soil quality index (SQI) was ob- served in T10 (0.82), followed by T14 and T6 treatment (0.76). Sustainable intensification of rice and maize based systems (T10 and T14) recorded 39% higher system yield compared to T1 (11.12 Mg ha−1). CA-based sustainable intensification of rice/maize systems improved soil quality and biota, hence resulted higher system yield in alluvial soils of IGP. Conservation agriculture based SI of maize-wheat-mungbean system was found to be the best alternative option than rice–wheat system to achieve sustainable productivity while improving the soil quality index (35%) and conservation of natural resources