34 research outputs found
Future Smart Crops for paddy fallow agri-food systems in Southeast Asia
Food security, as defined by the United Nations’
Committee on World Food Security, is the condition in
which all people, at all times, have physical, social and
economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food
that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for
an active and healthy life. Over the coming decades, a
changing climate, growing global population, increasing
incomes, changes in food choices, rising food prices, and
environmental stressors, such as increased water scarcity
and land degradation, will have significant yet uncertain
impacts on food security. There are different aspects
having direct links to meeting food security at the global level, including globalization of markets..
Nitrogen response of sweet sorghum genotypes during rainy season
Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a
smart biofuel crop, which can be grown under tropical
rainfed conditions without sacrificing food and fodder
security. Three sweet sorghum cultivars (viz. ICSA
52 SPV 1411, CSH 22 SS and ICSV 93046) were
grown under six nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60, 90, 120,
150 kg ha–1) on Vertisols during two rainy (kharif)
seasons at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India. The results
from two-year trial indicated that out of three sweet
sorghum cultivars evaluated, sweet sorghum hybrid
CSH 22 SS produced highest green stalk (46.90 t ha–1)
and ethanol yield (1940 l ha–1) compared to other cultivars.
The three cultivars responded well to applied N
doses up to 150 kg ha–1, however, application of N beyond
90 kg ha–1 did not result in any significant increase
in grain yield and economic returns. Net
economic returns of Rs 32,898 ha–1 (US$ 601.21 ha–1)
were significantly higher with 90 kg N ha–1 application
as compared to other levels of fertilization. It is concluded
that for obtaining the highest green stalk yield,
ethanol yield and thereby maximum economic
returns, sweet sorghum cultivar, viz. CSH 22 SS
should be fertilized with 90 kg N ha–1
Human Capacity Development to adopt Best Practices
The concept of capacity development, which emerged during the 1980s,
gained prominence in the 1990s and currently has wide usage in community
development (Eade, 1997; UNDP, 1998; Bolger, 2000). The term
capacity development is usually discussed as an approach to development
and cooperation. Capacity development encompasses human
resource development as an essential part of development (FAO, 1998).
It is a process by which individuals, groups, organizations and societies
enhance their abilities to identify and meet development challenges in
a sustainable manner (UNDP, 1998). It is human resource development,
which is a process of equipping individuals with the understanding of
access to information, knowledge, training and skills that enables them
to perform effectively. There is a direct relationship between capacity
building and agricultural education..
Enhancing water I use efficiency of maize-chickpea sequence under semiarid conditions of southern India
Maize is one of the three most important cereal crop
species (after wheat and rice), and is grown throughout
a wide range of climates. Maize is desired for its multiple environmental benefits of growing chickpea (Cice!'
a1'ietinu111 L.) have been increasingly recognized in
semiarid condition and inclusion of chickpea in cerealbased
cropping systems has shown to improve the
efficiency of nutrient (Walley et a1., 2007). WUE of maize
is a function of multiple factors, including physiological
characteristics of maize and chickpea, genotype, soil
characteristics such as soil water holding capacity,
meteorological conditions and agronomic practices.
Hence, to improve WUE, integrative measures should aim to optimize agronomic practices viz, efficient
irrigation methods and suitable landform management
and improved practice of fertilization....
Bio-conversion of rice straw waste in to high quality organic fertilizer
In India, 353 Mt crop stubble annually generated from
rice and wheat crops respectively. About 84 Mt (23.86%) of
the stubble is being burnt on-field by the farmers every year
(Abdurrahman et al., 2020). Use of these unused crop residues
(stubbles) for generating compost, incorporation into
soil, biochar etc. will result in benefit to farmers by enhanced
soil health and to environment by reduced pollution
(Jain et al., 2014). Thus, the paddy straw was used to decompose
it with the help of aerobic composting and the
results are shared in this paper.
It is evident from the above table that rice straw good
source of nutrient. About 40% of the N, 30-35% of the P,
80-85% of the K and 40-45% of the S absorbed by rice
remain in the vegetative parts at maturity. Therefore, one
ton of rice straw contains 5-8 Kg N, 0.7-1.2 Kg P, 12-17 Kg
K, 0.5-1 Kg S, 3-4 Kg Ca, 1-3 Kg Mg and 40-70 Kg Si
(Dobermann and Wilt 2000).with Madhyam culture @ 200 kg cow dung for 1000 kg
biomass. The compost heaps have been irrigated on alternative
days and turning over has been conducted for every 10
days (Chander et al., 2018). The compost samples (KH1 to
18) were analyzed for organic carbon by Walkley black
method and other parameters like N, P, K have been analyzed
by ICPMS
Sweet sorghum bagasse – A source of organic manure
Bagasse or silage is an important by-product in the sweet sorghum-based
ethanol industry. Above ground biomass distribution in sweet sorghum forms
90% of the total biomass produced and that includes stem, leaves and panicle
with grain. It is estimated that bagasse makes 30% of the total biomass of
sweet sorghum, which is composed of cellulose (15-25%), hemi cellulose (35-
50%) and lignin (20-30%) with Net Calorific value: 4,125 Kcal kg-1 (ash free);
depending on the genotypes (Grassi 2001). Approximate composition of sweet
sorghum bagasse is given in Table 1. It is estimated that 6-7 kg of bagasse
will be produced for every liter of ethanol produced from sweet sorghum.
Even though bagasse has multiple uses such as being a source for energy
cogeneration, animal feed and organic manure, it is important to work out the
trade-offs between its uses as a source of bio-fuel and carbon balance in the
whole production-to-consumption chain. In this context, recycling of bagasse
into organic manure and using it in the crop husbandry is an environmentally
safe measure of sequestering carbon in the soil. Sweet sorghum is promoted
in the semi-arid regions where organic carbon content in the soil is generally
low and the application of bagasse as organic manure assumes great
importance for sustaining the soil fertility. The direct application of bagasse
to the soil causes temporary lock up (immobilization) of soil nitrogen (N) due
to wider C: N (~35:1) ratio and hence, it is important to bring down the C:
N ratio by vermicomposting to use it as organic manure. Composting is the
value addition method for enriching organic residues with low N content and
this can be done either through microbial flora or along with earthworms.
Generally, composting of organic residues with earthworms is referred to as
vermicomposting, which is a rapid and simple method. The composition of
vermicompost is superior in terms of macro and micro nutrients; besides,
it is rich in plant growth promoting substances. The composting of sweet
sorghum bagasse with earthworms is focused in the project and protocol was
standardized for the same through laboratory and on farm trials
Sustainability of different cropping systems under varying sowing dates in Marathwada region
The Held experiments were carried out at Instructional Farm. AIC’RP on Dry land Agriculture, Marathwada
Agricultural University. Parbhani during the rainy season o f 2001-2005 on eight different cropping systems
consisting o f important food, pulse and oilseed crops o f Marathwada region under varied weather conditions. The
results revealed that intercropping o f sorghum (CSH-9) t pigeonpea. pear m illet pigeonpea and castor + soybean
sown in 26 meteorological w e eM M W ) produced the highest grain yield and average productivity o f the system
during all the years o f experimentation as compared to rest o f the cropping systems. Similarly, castor soybean
produced the highest sorghum grain equivalent which was at par with soybean + pigeonpea. Arhorhtm cotton +
soybean and cotton (N I111-44) + soybean. The sowing o f all the crops and cropping systems on 26 MW recorded
significantly highest sustainable yield index (0.^2) as compared to sowing o f all cropping systems on delayed sowing
dates
Soil nutrient status as influenced by different micronutrient management practices in pearl millet cultivars
Two field experiments were conducted during Kharif, 2018 and 2019 on clay loam soils at Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Babbur farm, Hiriyur, Karnataka to estimate the post harvest soil nutrient status in pearl millet cultivated plots. Micronutrient (Zn and Fe) management strategies include application of NPK, deficit iron and zinc through soil, foliar application and FYM enriched with iron and zinc along with PGPR in main plots and three pearl millet cultivars ICTP 8203 Fe (Dhanshakti), ICMH 1202 and WCC 75 (local cultivar) as sub plots laid in split plot design replicated thrice. As compared to the initial soil status, the availability of N, P2O5 and K2O was reduced, while Zn and Fe availability increased in micronutrient applied treatments. The study confirmed that after two years of experimentation, the soil available N (242 kg ha-1), P2O5 (27 kg ha-1) and K2O (286 kg ha-1) was higher with RDF alone (F1) than other micronutrient management practices, while enriched FYM + PGPR (F4) and soil application (F2) treatments were on par with each other and retained higher soil available Zn (0.60 and 0.59 ppm) and Fe (4.0 and 3.80 ppm), respectively. Plots with local cultivar WCC 75 (G3) revealed significantly higher availability of nitrogen (243 kg ha-1) and micronutrients (0.47 and 3.70 ppm Zn and Fe, respectively) in the soil over other two pearl millet cultivars
Soil fertility as influenced by alternate sequential cropping systems to rice-rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Tunga Bhadra project area
A field experiment was carried out in farmers field near Agriculture Research Station, Siruguppa in Karnataka during kharif and rabi of 2014-15 to Study influence of alternate sequential copping systems to rice-rice (Oryza sativa L.) system on fertility status of soil in Tunga Bhadra Project (TBP) Area. The experimental site was medium deep black with soil pH (8.01), EC (0.54 dS m-1), available nitrogen (240.80 kg ha-1), P2O5 (22.90 kg ha-1) and K2O (347.49 kg ha-1). The experiment comprised of seven sequential cropping systems viz., T1: Rice-maize, T2: Rice-sorghum, T3: Rice-chickpea, T4: Rice-sesame, T5: Maize-chickpea, T6: Cotton-sesame and T7: Rice-rice. These treatments were laid out in completely randomized block design with three replications. The study revealed that significantly higher rice equivalent yield (REY) was recorded in cotton-sesame cropping system (13117 kg ha-1) compared to rest of the cropping systems. Significantly higher system productivity was recorded with maize-chickpea (35.94 REY kg ha-1 day-1) cropping system and it was significantly superior over existing rice-rice (26.89 REY kg ha-1day-1) cropping systems. Significantly higher available nitrogen (210.21 kg ha-1) and P2O5 (34.22 kgha-1) in soil was noticed with ricechickpea cropping system whereas significantly higher available K2O was obtained after the harvest of rice-rice cropping system (330.10 kg ha-1). The cotton-sesame and maize-chickpea crop sequences are more productive and sustainable as they improve the productivity and fertility status of soil when compared to other cropping sequences and can be a better option for the farmers of the Tunga Bhadra Project area, Karnataka