• Authors:
    • Sudhakar, S.
    • Ashish, P.
    • Panda, S.
    • Pandey, V.
  • Source: Environmental Geology
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: An effort was made to identify the critical sub-watersheds for the development of best management plan for a small watershed of Eastern India using a hydrological model, namely, AVSWAT2000. A total of 180 combinations of various management treatments including crops (rice, maize, groundnut and soyabean), tillage (zero, conservation, field cultivator, mouldboard plough and conventional practices) and fertilizer levels (existing half of recommended and recommended) have been evaluated. The investigation revealed that rice cannot be replaced by other crops such as groundnut, maize, mung bean, sorghum and soyabean since comparatively these crops resulted in higher sediment yield. The tillage practices with disc plough have been found to have more impact on sediment yield and nutrient losses than conventional tillage practices for the existing level of fertilizer. Sediment yield decreased in the case of zero tillage, conservation tillage, field cultivator, mouldboard plough, and conservation tillage as compare to conventional tillage. Lowest NO 3-N loss was observed in zero tillage in all the fertilizer treatments, whereas field cultivator, mouldboard plough and disc plough resulted in increase of NO 3-N loss. As compared to conventional tillage, the losses of soluble phosphorus were increased in mouldboard plough. The losses of organic nitrogen were also increased as fertilizer dose increased. After zero tillage the conservation tillage performed better in all the fertilizer treatments as per loss of organic nitrogen and organic phosphorus is concerned. It can be concluded that the sediment yield was found to be the highest in the case of disc plough followed by mouldboard plough, field cultivator, conventional tillage, field cultivator and least in zero tillage practices. The nutrient losses were found to be in different order with tillage practices, resulted highest in disc plough tillage practices. In view of sediment yield and nutrient losses, the conservation tillage practice was found to be the best as the sediment yield is less than the average soil loss whereas nutrient loss is within the permissible limit.
  • Authors:
    • Balasubramanian, V.
    • Kumar, A.
    • Prabhu, M.
    • Jagadeesan, R.
  • Source: Asian Journal of Horticulture
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: This review discusses the various cropping systems (multiple cropping, intercropping and cover cropping) that are successfully adopted for some tropical vegetables in India, including a few tuber vegetables. The role of cropping systems in crop protection (specifically the management of diamond back moth [ Plutella xylostella] in cabbage using collard as a trap crop, use of maize as an intercrop to control a viral disease of pepper, reduction of the incidence of bacterial wilt caused by Pseudomonas solanacearum [ Ralstonia solanacearum] in tomato by intercropping, and use of French marigold [ Tagetes patula] as a trap crop for the control of Meloidogyne incognita on potato) is briefly discussed.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, O.
    • Sandeep, S.
  • Source: International Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: An experiment was conducted at J.V. College, Baraut, Baghpat during rabi 2003-04 and 204-05 on inter cropping of french bean+potato intercropping with deferent rates of N and K application. The economic analysis of results indicated that intercropping system earned maximum of Rs. 55803/ha net profit which was found Rs. 18949 and Rs. 11014/ha more than net from potato pure and french bean pure, respectively. The application of 60 K 2O/ha earned Rs. 49819/ha maximum profit which has Rs. 8406/ha more over control. As application of 120 kg N/ha earned Rs. 54328/ha net profit and it was found Rs. 23149/ha more over control. The uptake of N was recorded maximum in intercropping system while K-uptake was maximum is sole potato and P-uptake was higher in sole French-been and intercropping. Uptake of nutrients increased with increasing doses of fertilizers application up to highest does of application.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, O.
    • Sandeep, S.
  • Source: International Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2003-04 and 2004-05 at J.V.P.G. College, Baraut (Bagpat) in western Uttar Pradesh to study the optimum dose of nitrogen for component crop in the sole french bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris Linn.) and patato ( Solanum tubersum L.) and in intercropping system. Frenchbean and Potato yields increased significantly upto the application of 120 Kg N and 60 Kg K 2O/ha. Frenchbean equivalent yield was highest of 31.90 q/ha at 120 kg N/ha and 29.63 q/ha which were found 2.28 q/ha (7.9%) and 6.88 q/ha (28.2%) higher than the equivalent yield in sole potato and sole frenchbean, respectively. Intercropping attained 1.17 L.E.R. which indicates that land may be utilized by 17 per cent more than pure cropping.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, K.
    • Nandita, G.
    • Alka, S.
    • Ritu, M.
    • Sonu, S.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 73
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The application of organic amendments in agroecosystems has been widely recommended, but the impact of their C/N ratio on the stabilization and sequestration of soil organic carbon (SOC) is often unaccounted for. The influence of the C/N ratio of amendments on soil physicochemical properties in a rice ( Oryza sativa var. NDR97)-barley ( Hordeum vulgare var. Lakhan) rotation tropical dryland agroecosystem was compared with an undisturbed grassland. Chemical fertilizer in the form of urea and three organic inputs ( Sesbania aculeata shoot, low C/N ratio; air-dried straw of wheat ( Triticum aestivum var. Malviya 533), high C/N ratio; and S. aculeata shoot+wheat straw, high and low C/N ratio combined) carrying an equivalent amount of N, were added to plots of the agroecosystem once during each annual cycle. Soil water-holding capacity (WHC), porosity, SOC, total N, and aggregate stability were improved in the wheat straw and S. aculeata shoot+wheat straw treatments, reaching levels comparable with the grassland. Soil WHC, porosity, and SOC influenced the productivity of the grassland and the agroecosystem. The grassland recorded highest SOC (53% higher relative to control) followed by the wheat straw (+47%), S. aculeata shoot+wheat straw (+37%) and soil total N was greatest in the S. aculeata shoot+wheat straw treatment (+37.5%). Aggregate stability and macroaggregate distribution were also higher in the wheat straw and S. aculeata shoot+wheat straw treatments, however, the microaggregate and silt+clay fractions showed a reverse trend. Management practices with a higher residue-C return in the agroecosystem resulted in increased aggregate stability and aggregate-associated SOC, with C storage attaining levels similar to the natural system.
  • Authors:
    • Gajbhiye, K. S.
    • Ray, S. K.
    • Prasad, J.
    • Singh, S. R.
  • Source: Agropedology
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Detailed soil survey of Selsura KVK research farm of Dr. P.D.K.V., Akola in Wardha district, Maharashtra was carried out using 1:6000 scale cadastral map. There were nine soil series and thirteen mapping units. The soils were very dark gray to very dark grayish brown in hue 10YR, calcareous and clayey but differed in depth and are classified under Entisols, Inceptisols and Vertisols. In general, pH (8.0-9.2) increased with depth whereas reverse trend was observed for organic carbon. Soils of Selsura-1 are prone to sodicity problems. DTPA-Zn and Fe were deficient in these soils but DPTA-Mn and Cu were optimum. The mapping units were grouped under II to IV land capability classes and 2 to 4 land irrigability classes. Except soils of Selsura-7 series (very shallow), others are moderately or marginally suitable for one or more commonly growing rainfed kharif crops viz. cotton, sorghum, pigeonpea, soybean and groundnut.
  • Authors:
    • Kumar, S.
    • Thakral, S. K.
    • Kadian, V. S.
  • Source: Haryana Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A field experiment was carried out from 2003-04 to 2005-06 at Agronomy Research Area of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to find out the profitable crop rotation in south-west Haryana. In the rotation the different kharif season crops i. e. cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.), soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merrill], mungbean [ Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek], pearl millet [ Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Emend. Stuntz] and sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] were grown with rotation in rabi season crops i. e. wheat [ Triticum aestivum (L.) Emend. Fiori & Paol.], barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) and raya ( Brassica juncea L.). Based on the mean of three-year rotation, cotton-based rotation registered maximum land use efficiency, whereas it was lowest in sorghum-based rotations. Among the different crop rotations, cotton-barley and soybean-wheat were found profitable based on the net returns and B:C ratio. Pearl millet-based crop rotations were found remunerative as compared to other kharif season crops.
  • Authors:
    • Jajoo, S. B.
    • Kamble, P. O.
    • Shinde, K. J.
  • Source: Green Farming
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 1 (Special 1)
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A study was conducted to suggest optimal resources allocation for crop plan to net benefit maximization using linear programming model for Akola district in Maharashtra state. Resources management plan was developed with allocation of land and water for different crop activities to maximize the net return taking into account land capability classification, availability of water in different season, crop water requirements, food requirement and affinity towards the crops of the peoples in district. In existing crop plan during kharif season major area is under cotton (43.45%) followed by jowar (17%) whereas in proposed optimal crop plan without capital constraints major area was allocated under soybean (30%), cotton+tur (20%) of the total cultivable area of the district. In rabi major area in existing is under gram (5.2%) whereas in proposed plan area is allocated to wheat (20%), gram (20%). In existing summer area is 0.18% and annual was nil whereas in proposed plan is 3% and 4.13% respectively. In existing gross investment and net return per hectare was 10341 and 5203 Rs/ha whereas in proposed plan is 14864 and 8833 Rs/ha. In proposed plan net return per hectare increases by Rs. 3630.
  • Authors:
    • Takle, S. R.
    • Kunte, A. P.
    • Bhise, V. B.
  • Source: Resource-use efficiency in irrigated Indian agriculture 2009
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The present study was conducted on irrigated farms to study the resource use efficiency and returns to scale in the command area of Penganga irrigation project. A sample of 310 farmers was scientifically chosen out of which 94 were from head-reach, 100 from middle reach and 116 belonged the tail reach location of the command area and the study was conducted during the agricultural year 2004-05. The study was confined to three foodgrains, i.e. green gram, kharif Jowar and Wheat, and four cash crops, viz., cotton, sugarcane, banana and soyabean. A Cobb-Douglas production function was fitted to estimate the resource-use efficiency and returns to scale in the crop production in irrigated Indian agriculture. The study observed that some of the resources have been either under-utilised or over-utilised; hence to increase the agricultural production all the resources should be used efficiently. Along with the efficient use of all the resources, new technology should also be adopted for increasing productivity. The ratio of marginal value product to factor cost for some resources (human labour, bullock labour, fertilisers and seeds) was found to be more than one, indicating the operation of increasing factors returns. In general for cash crops, the study suggests to increase the use of resources viz. bullock labour, working capital, seeds and irrigation so as to increase the production of the cultivated cash crops.
  • Authors:
    • Kushwaha, S. S.
    • Gajja, B. L.
  • Source: Current Agriculture
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: An attempt has been made to document the change in the cropping pattern in Rajasthan, India. The study was based on the secondary data from 1980-81 to 2006-07. There was no major change in the cropping pattern, but in some crops such as rape, mustard and soyabean a shift was recorded. The increase in irrigation facilities in the state had observed increase in irrigated crops such as cotton, groundnut in some parts, wheat, soyabean, rape and mustard while some crops had witnessed the reduction in area. This indicated some minor change in the cropping pattern. However, the cropping pattern was mainly influenced by physical, economic, technological and institutional factors such as capital and market location and price of the crop at harvest time had definite temporal changes. The crop diversification had been witnessed in favour of oilseed crops.