Influence of spatial arrangement, biofertilizers and bioirrigation on the performance of legume-millet intercropping system in rainfed areas of southern India

In this study, we checked the potential of bioirrigation – defined as a process of hydraulic lift where transfer of water occurs from deep soil layers to top soil layers through plant roots. We tested this in a pigeon pea (PP) – finger millet (FM) intercropping system in a field study for two consecutive growing seasons (2016/17 and 2017/18) at two contrasting sites in Bengaluru and Kolli Hills, India. Our objective was also to optimize the spatial arrangement of the intercropped plants (2 PP:8 FM), using either a row-wise or a mosaic design. The field trial results clearly showed that spatial arrangement of component plants affected the yield in an intercropping system. The row-wise intercropping was more effective than mosaic treatments at the Bengaluru field site, while at Kolli Hills, both row-wise and mosaic treatment performed equally. Importantly, biofertilizer application enhanced the yield of intercropping and monoculture treatments. This effect was not influenced by the spatial arrangement of component plants and by the location of the field experiment. The yield advantage in intercropping was mainly due to the release of PP from interspecific competition. Despite a yield increase in intercropping treatments, we did not see a positive effect of intercropping or biofertilizer on water relations of FM, this further explains why PP dominated the competitive interaction, which resulted in yield advantage in intercropping. FM in intercropping had significantly lower leaf water potentials than in monoculture, likely due to strong interspecific competition for soil moisture in intercropping treatments. Our study indicates that identity plant species and spatial arrangement/density of neighbouring plant is essential for designing a bioirrigation based intercropping system

Intercropping transplanted pigeon pea With finger millet: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria boost yield while reducing fertilizer input

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) are staple food crops for millions of the rural population in Asia and Africa. We tested, in field trials over three consecutive seasons at two sites in India, an intercropping and biofertilization scheme to boost their yields under low-input conditions. Pigeon pea seedlings were raised during the dry season and transplanted row-wise into fields of finger millet, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas) were added alone or in combination to both pigeon pea and finger millet. Our major findings are (i) effects of the biofertilizers were particularly pronounced at the site of low fertility; (ii) dual inoculation of AMF+PGPR to finger millet and pigeon pea crops showed increased grain yields more effectively than single inoculation; (iii) the combined grain yields of finger millet and pigeon pea in intercropping increased up to +128% due to the biofertilizer application; (iv) compared to direct sowing, the transplanting system of pigeon pea increased their average grain yield up to 267% across site, and the yield gains due to biofertilization and the transplanting system were additive. These technologies thus offer a tool box for sustainable yield improvement of pigeon pea and finger millet

Millet-based intercropping systems facilitated by beneficial microbes for climate-resilient, sustainable farming in tropics

Climate change is arguably the biggest threat being faced by humankind, one that impacts billions of people through soil erosion, extreme droughts, uneven and unpredictable rains during the cropping season, rises in sea level, etc. Climate-induced droughts limit crop growth and productivity, eventually affecting millions of marginal farmers. Millets are predominantly grown in rainfed and arid regions, especially in the tropical zones of Asia and Africa. They are rich in macro and micronutrients that can complement other sources of nutrition such as cereals, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and eggs. Millet-based intercropping systems have been practiced in India over centuries. Nevertheless, a sustainable intensification of millet-based intercropping has not yet been achieved. Recent research findings have shown that millet and legume intercropping facilitated by biofertilizers, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, is a promising innovative tool. This chapter aims at exploring research and development perspectives for promoting millet-based intercropping systems for sustainable farming, particularly in the tropics

Managing floods in Chennai City as part of situation understanding and improvement project

Transdisciplinary approaches in water are important to ensure water security to everyone around the world. Recently, Young Water Professionals (YWPs) training was carried out to impart learning in transdisciplinary approaches. Besides online workshops and lectures, the training program included the Situation Understanding and Improvement Project (SUIP). Through SUIP, YWPs were able to implement the transdisciplinary approaches learnt during lectures and workshops. The SUIP selected by one of the groups of YWPs was related to the flooding experienced by the residents of Chennai, India. Flooding is a very common phenomenon having its occurrence across the world with varying severity and magnitude because of changes to the use of river floodplains, changing the land use pattern, encroachment of waterbodies, and the impact of climate change on water resources. Chennai City in Tamil Nadu, India, with a population of about 6.5 million is facing frequent flooding because of extreme rainfall events and the presence of three rivers within the city and is also facing an acute shortage of water which also needs to be addressed for its sustainable development. This study used transdisciplinary approach to understand 2015 flooding in Chennai and made several recommendations to improve the flood management in Chennai including an early warning system. The YWP training and the concept of SUIP significantly enhanced the outcomes from this study.</p

Spatial Arrangement and Biofertilizers Enhance the Performance of Legume - Millet Intercropping System in Rainfed Areas of Southern India

Intercropping is a well-established practice to enhance the yield in low-input agriculture, and beneficial microbes such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) combined with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are being used as an effective and sustainable measure to improve yields. In this study, we tested if biofertilizers can not only enhance the yield of crops in monoculture as has previously been demonstrated but can also enhance the yield of intercropping systems. We hypothesized that because AMF can form common mycorrhizal networks (CMN) that can transfer nutrients and water between different plant species, biofertilization can balance belowground competition between crop species and promote thus overall yields in intercropping systems. In our study, we used a pigeon pea (PP)—finger millet (FM) intercropping system that we grew for two consecutive growing seasons (2016/17 and 2017/18) at two contrasting sites in Bengaluru and Kolli Hills, India. We also tested if the spatial arrangement (i.e., different arrangement of component plants with similar plant density in intercropping system) of intercropped plants, using either a row-wise or a mosaic design, influences the effect of biofertilizers on yield and water relations of the PP-FM intercropping system. Our results demonstrate that intercropping can improve the straw and grain yield of PP and FM compared to the respective monocultures and that intercropping effects vary depending on the site characteristic such as climate and soil type. The spatial arrangement of component plants affected the total, straw, and grain biomass in intercropping treatments, but this effect also varied across sites. Most importantly, the results from the 2017/18 growing season clearly demonstrated a positive effect of biofertilizer on biomass yield, and this effect was irrespective of site, spatial arrangement, mixed or monoculture. Our study therefore shows that yield increase in intercropping systems can further be improved through the application of biofertilizers