Crop diversification of predominant Pearl millet based cropping system for higher productivity, resource-use efficiency and profitability in Semi-Arid Rajasthan

Continuous adoption of Pearl millet-Wheat cropping system led to reduction in productivity which put a serious threat to its sustainability in semi-arid eastern plain zone of Rajasthan, India. Crop diversification with wider choice with a variety of crops is being promoted as an alternative to profit maximization with enhanced soil fertility status. Therefore, a long term experiment was initiated to evaluate the production potential, sustainability, resource-use efficiency and economics of nine Pearl millet based cropping systems. Result revealed that system productivity in terms of pearl millet equivalent yield (PMEY) was highest (30488 kg ha-1) with groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion crop rotation. Moreover, groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion recorded the highest SYI and land use efficiency (0.65 and 73.97%) followed by pearl millet-wheat-cluster bean-barley sequence (0.63 and 65.75%). The groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion also generated highest number of man days/ha/year (405). The highest values of organic carbon were found under green gram-mustard-pearl millet-lentil and cluster bean-pea-pearl millet-lentil. The maximum value of available P was recorded with cluster bean-mustard-green gram-garden cress followed by the groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion sequence. Available K decreased significantly from their initial values in all the cropping systems except groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion crop rotation. Among the various systems, groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion realized the highest net returns ( 213000 ha-1), followed by pearl millet-wheat-cluster bean-barley ( 163254 ha-1). Overall, it can be concluded that under the semi-arid agro climatic conditions of Rajasthan, groundnut-wheat-cluster bean-onion, followed by pearl millet-wheat-cluster bean-barley, were more productive, sustainable, resource use efficient and remunerative than other cropping systems.</jats:p

Assessment of seasonal efficacy of different evaporation retardants in semi-arid tropics

An experiment was conducted in 2007–08 at Arjia, Rajasthan to evaluate the efficacies of different evaporation retardants viz., Maize stover (6 kg m-2), Burnt oil (2 mm thick film), Poly film (50 micron), Cetyle alcohol (2.2 kg ha-1) and Control in reducing evaporation from surface of water bodies. Results revealed that there was significant relation between evaporation retardants and control treatments in pre-monsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Due to application of different evaporation suppressants, on an average, maize stover resulted in lowest evaporation of 2.75 mm day-1, followed by poly film (2.94 mm day-1) and burnt oil (3.89 mm day-1). As compared to control, cetyle alcohol as surfactant resulted in the lowest mean reduction (31.3%) in evaporation. On an average, the maize stover caused mean reductions in evaporation to the tunes of 59 and 58% over different seasons in comparison with open pan evaporation and control treatments, respectively. Thus it is concluded that application of maize stover is proved to be the most effective method for suppression of evaporation from freewater surfaces

Integrated nutrient management and seed priming are viable options to enhance seed yield and quality in quinoa (<i>Chinopodium quinoa Willd.</i>)

A field experiment was conducted at Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Jaipur during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2018–19 and 2019–20 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management and seed priming on seed yield and quality in quinoa. Experiment was laid out in a split plot design with twelve treatment combinations comprising four nutrient management practices i.e. no fertilizer (NM0), N45P23K30+2% FeSO4 (NM1), N45P23K30+2% DAP (NM2); and NC125+VC1250+PSB10+KSB10+AZ10 (NM3) as main-plot treatments and three pre-sowing seed priming technologies i.e. no seed priming (SP0), 1.5% Trichoderma harziannum (SP1) and, 20% Pseudomonas fluorescence (SP2) as sub-plot treatments. Results showed that application of NM2 and SP1 exhibited significantly higher plant height (19.5 and 7.2%), number of branches (40.5 and 11.6%), seed weight (12.9 and 4.6%), total dry matter (TDM) (30.5 and 3.9%), chlorophyll content (47.4 and 3.8%) and crude protein content (27.6 and 1.8%) over control. Cumulative effect of these parameters was exhibited in terms of highest yield potential (24.64 and 23.14q ha−1) (28.5 and 9.4% higher) and excellent seed/seedling quality and energy parameters along with highest net return (₹61974 and 55501 ha−1) and B:C ratio (2.55 and 2.22) over control. A positive significant correlation for seed yield was also observed with plant height (0.983), seed weight (0.990), TDM (0.955), chlorophyll content (0.950), protein content (0.946) and seed/seedling quality parameters. Overall, application of N45P23K30+2% DAP spray at pre-flowering stage along with pre-sowing seed priming with 1.5% Trichoderma harziannum is recommended as suitable strategy to improve yield and quality in quinoa under semi-arid conditions.</p

Assessment of seasonal efficacy of different evaporation retardants in semi-arid tropics

An experiment was conducted in 2007–08 at Arjia, Rajasthan to evaluate the efficacies of different evaporationretardants viz., Maize stover (6 kg m-2), Burnt oil (2 mm thick film), Poly film (50 micron), Cetyle alcohol(2.2 kg ha-1) and Control in reducing evaporation from surface of water bodies. Results revealed that there wassignificant relation between evaporation retardants and control treatments in pre-monsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Due to application of different evaporation suppressants, on an average, maize stover resulted in lowest evaporation of 2.75 mm day-1, followed by poly film (2.94 mm day-1) and burnt oil (3.89 mm day-1). As compared to control, cetyle alcohol as surfactant resulted in the lowest mean reduction (31.3%) in evaporation. On an average, the maize stover caused mean reductions in evaporation to the tunes of 59 and 58% over different seasons in comparison with open pan evaporation and control treatments, respectively. Thus it is concluded that application of maize stover is proved to be the most effective method for suppression of evaporation from freewatersurfaces.</jats:p