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Not AvailableThe drylands in India occupy about 80 million ha, and is spread over arid, semiarid and sub humid climatic zones presenting nearly 57% of the net cultivated area. The drylands are characterized by low precipitation, highly variable rainfall patterns, high evapotranspiration rates, inadequate available nutrients in native soils, poor quality of ground water, severe land degradation processes, short growing period and low crop yields. Despite these bio-physical constraints, the region has high human and livestock population, which mostly depend on agriculture and allied activities with limited natural resources resulting in over-exploitation of the resources. Presently degradation of natural resources (land, water, and biodiversity), decreasing farm profitability, low input-use efficiency (fertilizer, water, energy, and labor), environmental pollution (soil, water), climate change and scarcity of farm labour are threatening the sustainability of agricultural production in the drylands. Large-scale drive for modernization of agriculture in the northern and western parts of the Rajasthan, through IGNP and Narmada canal brought about considerable prosperity to the farmers. Some of the positive impacts of introduction of irrigation in the desert includes improvement in micro-climate, change in land use/ cropping pattern, improvement of soil and associated soil fertility and biological properties, but it has also brought in its wake the problems of water logging and secondary salinization. Lack of proper drainage, excess irrigation, seepage from the canals and poor planning under such situation have resulted in a rise in water table, followed by salinity build-up. In this perspective, some of the successful technologies on soil and water management in drylands provide a higher and stable crop yields and other associated profits like improving/maintaining soil quality, input use efficiency, environmental quality, well-being of farmers and reductions in land degradations, cost of cultivation, and help in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The present paper deals with the extent, significance, characteristics of and constraints of dryland agriculture along with suitable technological options to improve agricultural productivity with special reference to hot arid regions of India.Not Availabl

Performance of fruit trees (drip irrigation) and intercrops (rainfed) under agri-horti system in arid western Rajasthan

Not AvailableMoth bean (Vigna aconitifolia L.). cluster bean (Cvamopsis tetragonoloba ..Taub.) and sonamukhi (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.) were grown as intererops under agri-horti-silvi sysiem with 7-ycar-old plantations of citrus |Citrus aurantifolia (Cristm.) Swingle]. bael |Acgle nmarmelos (L.) Corre:al and gonda (Cordia myxa .) at research farm of Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Bikaner, during two consecutive years of 2008 and 2009. Highest seed and stover yield of moth bean (4o0 & 188I kgha' in 2008 and 20 & 1301 ky/ha in 2009) and cluster bean (623 & 2146 kgha' 'in 2008 and 533 & 1838 kgha ' in 2009) as well as, the leaf and seed yield of sonamukhi (323 & 53 kgha" in 2008 and 415 & 80 kgha"" in 2009) was recorded in intercropping with cirus. Among the different levels of irrigation applied to fruit trees, irrigation at 80% of potential erop evapotranspiration (ETe) gave the highest yield and water use efficiency in all the crops, while the lowest was recorded at 40% ETc. It was also observed that cluster bean intercropped with citrus recorded the highest WUE (3.76 (kgha'mm')).Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted at Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station , Bikaner during Kharif seasons of 2012 and 2013 on Squash Melon (Tinda) crop under rainfed conditions to evaluate four treatments of Farm Yard Manure viz.,0,20,30 and 40 t ha-1 and three treatment of mulching viz., no mulch ,straw mulch and plastic mulch. Experiment was conducted in split – plot design with three replications using the Tinda cv. Selection 1. Vine length, numbers of fruits per plant and yield of squash melon (Tinda) crop were significantly influenced by FYM, mulching and their interaction during both the years of experiment. Application of FYM recorded significant improvement in yield up to 30 t ha-1. Averaged across mulching, the yield with application of FYM @ 20, 30 and 40 t ha-1 had 43.3, 83.9 and 87.4 % higher yield compared to control. Application of mulch brought significant improvement in yield and its component. The straw mulch recorded highest vine length, numbers of fruits per plant and yield. Plastic and straw mulch had 24.80 and 42.25 % higher yield than no-mulch. The response of mulch varied with level of FYM application. The highest yield was recorded with application of 40 FYM t ha-1 combined with straw mulch, however the difference between FYM 30 t ha-1 and 40 t ha-1 was non-significant under both straw and plastic mulching.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2009-10 and 2010-11. The experiment consisted of two methods of irrigation viz. drip and furrow methods and four type of mulching material treatments viz. plastic mulch (black polyethylene-25micron), hessian cloth mulch (50% shade jute cloth), indigenous plant material (laptodoniaspps.@ 10t/ha) mulch and no mulch (control). Method of irrigation, mulching and their interaction had significant effects on growth, yield attributes and yield. Mean yield averaged across the mulching treatments was 18.3 % higher under drip irrigation than furrow method. Mulching improved the yield from 40 to 71.8 % over no mulch treatment. Among the tested mulching materials, the plastic mulch had the highest improvement in yield (71.8 %) followed by hessian cloth (54.1 %) and indigenous plant material mulch (40 %) over no mulch. Interaction effect between drip irrigation with plastic mulch resulted in significant response in growth, yield attributes and yield of pea as compared to all other treatment combinations. Number of branches per plant, canopy cover and survival percentage of ber was higher in ber + pea cropping system than sole ber.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA two year field experiment was conducted in hot arid region at Bikaner, Rajasthan to investigate the effects of application of sulphydryl compounds (thioglycollic acid, TGA; thiourea TU) on growth traits, photosynthetic efficiency, yield components and yield of moth bean under water deficit conditions. The experiment comprised seven treatments (water spray, TGA 200 mg L-1, TGA 300 mg L-1, TGA 400 mg L-1, TU 500 mg L-1, TU 750 mg L-1 and TU 1000 mg L-1) and laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Application of sulphydryl compounds had significant effects on growth, photosynthetic traits, activities of anti-oxidant enzymes, and yield of moth bean. The sulphydryl compounds sprayed plants had 24-70, 13-40 and 13-20% higher activities of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione reductase, GR; gluthathione-s-transferase, GST), photosynthetic parameters (net photosynthetic rate, PN; stomatal conductance, gs; transpiration rate, E) and seed yield respectively compared to unsprayed plants. The results suggest that application of sulphydryl compounds mitigate moisture deficit induced negative effects on growth and photosynthetic parameters which lead to better seed yield of moth bean.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableWater stress is one of the main environmental stress conditions that adversely affect growth and yield of crops. Sulphydryl (-SH) compounds have been reported to induce tolerance to abiotic stress conditions. A two-year (2010 and 2011) experiment was conducted at Bikaner, Rajasthan, India to test whether the exogenous applications of thiourea (500, 750 and 1000 mg L−1) and thioglycolic acid (200, 300 and 400 mg L−1) as a foliar spray would alleviate deleterious effects of water stress on clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.). The -SH-treated plants showed higher membrane stability index, photosynthetic pigment content, photosynthetic capacity and antioxidant enzyme activities and lower lipid peroxidation compared with untreated plants. Compared with untreated plants, the -SH-treated plants had 11–18, 18–30, 17– 57, 25–47, 14–22% higher membrane stability index, total chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, net photosynthetic rate and seed yield, respectively; whereas the malondialdehyde content was 10–19% lower. These data suggest that under water deficit stress, exogenous -SH compound application improves photosynthesis by increasing photosynthetic pigment, protects plants against oxidative damage by scavenging reactive oxygen species and minimizing lipid peroxidation by elevated antioxidant enzyme activities. These results indicated the role of -SH compounds in diminishing the negative effects of water deficit on clusterbean and suggest that -SH compounds could be used as a potential bioregulator to improve plant growth and yield under water deficit conditions.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA study was undertaken to identify micro-farming situations (MFSs)in irrigated area of district Bikaner and assess the area under different crops, livestock composition, productivity, economics and constraints associated with crops and dairy animals in these MFS's, Three micro-farming situations viz. MFS-I:well irrigated, MFS-I1:canal + well irrigated and MFS-I1I:canal irrigated were identified. Groundnut and c1usterbean was major kharif crops in MFS-I and MFS-II. Cotton was the major crop of kharif season in MFS-III. Wheat was major crop of rabi season in all the MFSs. The average productivity of groundnut, c1usterbean and wheat was 23.0, 8.0, 18.8 q ha-1 in MFS-I and 18.7, 9.6 and 23.6 q ha-1 in MFS-II, respectively. In MFS-I1I, the average productivity of American cotton, cotton, wheat and mustard were 16.3, 13.4, 27.3 and 10.3 q ha-\ respectively. Groundnut was most remunerative crop in MFS-I and MFS-II, whereas in MSF-I1Iit was wheat. Tota] yield gap (TYG) of crops varied from 9.0 to 26.2 q ha-1 a!1d index of yield gap (IYG) varied from 39.3 to 49.5%. Shortage of canal water, shortage at electricity for irrigation, pest and disease incidences, frost, less remunerative price of produce and lack of improved seed were important constraints of crop production and their relative significance was crop and micro-farming situation specific. Livestock composition varied considerably among different MFSs. Cow constituted 65.5, 67.1 and 39.2% and buffalo had 25.5, 29.6 and 55.7% share in total livestock in MFS-I, II and III, respectively. The average annual productivity of milk per standard animal unit (SAD) was highest in MFS-II (1125.9 kg) followed by MFS-I1I (1113,8 kg) and MFS-I (1058.2 kg). Dairy animal is the most remunerative in MFS-I1I,with highest annual net return per SAD followed by MFS-II and 1. Scarcity of fodder, less remunerative price of milk and high cost of inputs were major const~aint in milk production in MFS-I, II and III, respectively.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA study was undertaken to identify micro farming situations (MFSs) in irrigated area of district Bikaner and assess the area under different crops, livestock composition, productivity, economics and constraints associated with crops and dairy animals in these MFS’s. Three micro farming situations viz. MFS-I: well irrigated, MFS-II: canal + well irrigated and MFS-III: canal irrigated were identified. Groundnut and clusterbean was major Kharif crops in MFS-I and MFS-II. Cotton was the major crop of kharif season in MFS-III. Wheat was major crop of rabi season in all the MFSs. The average productivity of groundnut, clusterbean and wheat was 23.0, 8.0, 18.8 q ha-1 in MFS-I and 18.7, 9.6 and 23.6 q ha-1 in MFS-II, respectively. In MFS-III, the average productivity of American cotton, cotton, wheat and mustard were 16.3, 13.4, 27.3 and 10.3 q ha-1, respectively. Groundnut was most remunerative crop in MFS-I and MFS-II, whereas in MSF-III it was wheat. Total yield gap (TYG) of crops varied from 9.0 to 26.2 q ha-1 and index of yield gap (IYG) varied from 39.3 to 49.5%. Shortage of canal water, shortage of electricity for irrigation, pest and disease incidences, frost, less remunerative price of produce and lack of improved seed were important constraints of crop production and their relative significance was crop and micro farming situation specific. Livestock composition varied considerably among different MFSs. Cow constituted 65.5, 67.1 and 39.2% and buffalo had 25.5, 29.6 and 55.7% share in total livestock in MFS-I, II and III, respectively. The average annual productivity of milk per standard animal unit (SAU) was highest in MFS-II (1125.9 kg) followed by MFS-III (1113.8 kg) and MFS-I (1058.2 kg). Dairy animal is the most remunerative in MFS-III, with highest annual net return per SAU followed by MFS-II and I. Scarcity of fodder, less remunerative price of milk and high cost of inputs were major constraint in milk production in MFS-I, II and III, respectively.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) season of 2004 and 2005 at Bikaner to study the effect of nutrient management on yield, quality, nutrient uptake, water-use efficiency and economics of rainfed clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] under hot arid, rainfed condition of western Rajasthan. Nutrient application showed significant influence on productivity, quality and resource utilization (nutrient and water) of clusterbean. Application of chemical fertilizer @ 100% RDF (20 kg N + 17.5 kg P/ha) recorded 50.9, 59.3 and 36.2% higher seed yield, gum yield and water-use efficiency respectively over the control. Among biofertilizers tested, dual inoculation (Rhizobium + phosphate-solubilizing bacteria) registered maximum improvement in yield, quality and nutrient uptake, followed by single inoculation of Rhizobium and PSB. Integration of chemical fertilizer @ 50% RDF with dual inoculation of biofertilizer registered 43.7 and 52.9% higher seed and gum yields respectively over the control. Dual inoculation of biofertilizer (Rhizobium + PSB) integrated with chemical fertilizer @ 50% RDF fetched maximum net returns (Rs 8,213/ha) and B : C ratio (1.6 : 1).Not Availabl