Abridging the yield gap in eastern Indian states: Issues and challenges

Estimating and explaining yield gap is essential to guide for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems in order to keep pace with increasing food demand in India driven by population and income growth. Eastern Indian states contribute 40 percent of total area under paddy in India but yield level is not at par with other high productive regions of the country. Hence this region is considered as potential region for second green revolution in India. In this study empirical method was used to decompose yield gap into efficiency and resource yield gaps for paddy and wheat. Further, stochastic frontier analysis was employed to estimate inefficiency in production pattern by encompassing critical agronomic and socio-economic factors. Results showed that estimated yield gap is 10 to 30 percent for paddy and 2 to 15 percent in case of wheat. It was identified that, not only sub-optimal resource usages (e.g. fertilization, mechanization) but supra-optimal resource disposal also found detrimental for yield level very often (e.g. seed rate). Besides, frequent drought, flood and state specificity explains yield gap. Hence, it was suggested that proper resource utilization framework and institutional mechanism can be possible remedy to reduce yield gap instead of providing for material input support. Acknowledgement

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Not AvailableThis study was conducted during 2006-2009 at Shaheed Gundadhoor College of Agriculture and Research Station, Kumhrawand, Jagdalpur district Bastar (Chhattisgarh) under different rainfed farming situations. In upland farming situation, broadcasting (dry aerobic) + biasi + recommended fertilizer (80-50-30 kg ha-1 of NPK) + In-situ green manuring with sunhemp was found efficient with respect to significantly higher mean grain yield (1.83 t ha-1), highest benefit cost (B:C) ratio (1.52 Rs. per Re.) and maximum rain water use efficiency (RWUE) of 1.59 kg/ha-mm. Under medium land situation, line seeding (dry aerobic) + recommended fertilizer (80-50-30 kg ha-1 of NPK) + in situ green manure incorporation by paddy weeder and weed control was found effective with significantly higher mean grain yield (3.08 t ha-1), highest B:C ratio (2.28) and maximum RWUE (2.51 kg/ha-mm). However, under lowland situation broadcasting + biasi (dry aerobic) + RDF 80:50:30 kg ha-1 of NPK + in-situ green manuring with sunhemp was recorded efficient with a mean maximum grain yield of 5.76 t ha-1, followed by line seeding (dry aerobic) + RDF 80:50:30 kg ha-1 of NPK + Post E weedicide with mean grain yield of 5.74 q ha-1 and line seedling (Dry aerobic)+ RDF 80:50:30 kg ha-1 of NPK + in-situ GM incorporation by paddy weeder & weed control with a marginally lower yield of 5.69 t ha-1. The highest B:C ratio was found in Line seedling (Dry aerobic)+ RDF 80:50:30 kg ha-1 of NPK + In-situ GM incorporation by paddy weeder & weed control. The rice crop establishment methods did not gave any effect on relay crops because the sowing of relay crops is done as soon as the free water disappears. This time is almost same for all the treatments. However, field pea and lathyrus was recorded comparatively higher yields indicating their effectiveness in soil moisture utilization. Field pea was superior with a yield of 1.47 t ha-1 and B: C ratio of 6.16.Not Availabl