Sustaining farm productivity through watershed based participatory balance nutrient management: A case study from Semi-Arid Tropics of central India

Participatory trials on balance nutrients were conducted during 2009–12 in a severely micronutrient deficit semiarid central Indian watershed to promote balance use of nutrients. Application of micronutrient increased groundnut pods plant−1 by 9%, seeds pod−1 by 6% and pod yield by 13% (1132 kg ha−1) compared to control in entry point trials. Similarly, chickpea variety "JG-130" grown with balance fertilizers also recorded 15 and 40% higher grain yield compared to "JG-130" and local chickpea variety, respectively grown with traditional practice. Application of B, Zn and S increased mean groundnut pod yield by 16.8% over control in further up scaling trials. The study on residual effect of balance fertilization indicated that grain yield of succeeding wheat, barley, chickpea and mustard increased by 8.3, 10, 8.8 and 9.2%, respectively. Further, the sustainability index of direct balance fertilization to groundnut was 0.8 and it was 0.76, 0.74, 0.76 and 0.83 in residual effect in succeeding wheat, barley, gram and mustard, respectively. Although nearly 88% farmers were convinced by the impact of micronutrients, but only 9% farmers actually used them in kharif, 2012 and availability of micronutrients emerged as the maj or hurdle in up scaling

Survival, morphological variability, and performance of Opuntia ficus-indica in a semi-arid region of India

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) can survive extreme environmental condition and is known for its fodder potential in many parts of the world. The morphological diversity of 15 introduced accessions was evaluated at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The plants were established in 2013. Survival and nutrient status were evaluated after two years. Above-ground plant height, biomass, primary and secondary cladode numbers, primary and secondary cladode lengths and below-ground root length, weight, and surface area measurements were done six years after cladode planting. Yellow San Cono, White Roccapalumba, and Seedless Roccapalumba survived 100%. The discriminant traits according to principal component analysis were: primary cladodes plant−1 (component loading, 0.87), primary cladodes biomass (0.95), secondary cladodes plant−1 (0.83), canopy width (0.84), and plant biomass (0.92). Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 15 accessions into two main clusters based on 17 morphological traits. Cluster I showed favorable values for many above- and below-ground morphological traits while Cluster II showed higher performance for root system width, height, and biomass, and primary and secondary cladode numbers. The results indicate that cactus pear accessions have considerable morphological variability and genetic diversity suitable for promotion as alternative fodder resources in semi-arid regions of India

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Not AvailableA study on Dendrocalamus strictus + Sesamum indicum based agroforestry was conducted at ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), India during 2007 to 2012 to find out the suitability of bamboo based agroforestry system (AFS) in the semi-arid region. Bamboo recorded survival of 62 to 77% (1st year), 86 to 96 (2nd year) and 100% thereafter. D. strictus culm (No.) varied in the range of 178-388 (1st year); 936 to 1439 (2nd year); 1507 to 2134 (3rd year); 2182 to 2901 (4th year) and 2422 to 3215 (5th year, i.e. at harvest stage). Bamboo did not influence the sesame yields during initial two years, however, yield level got reduced during subsequent years. During 5th year intercropped sesame yield got reduced 15.69 (10m × 10m bamboo) and 10.09% (10m × 12m bamboo) as compared to pure crop. Bamboo clump affected the sesame yield substantially and 16.3, 14.3, 7.5 and 0.3% sesame yield reduction was observed at a distance of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0m, respectively, during 5th year. Organic C increased from 3.92 to 6.24 g/kg soil over a period of five years in bamboo based AFS. At harvest stage of bamboo (5th year), highest B:C ratio of 2.83 was observed in 10m×10m bamboo + sesame followed by 2.59 (10m×12m bamboo + sesame) and 1.43 (pure sesame). Therefore, bamboo based AFS has economic and environmental advantages over the sole crop and due to this, the system could be one of best alternative livelihood options for farmers of semi-arid tropics.Not Availabl

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