- Authors:
- Yu, T. -H.
- Hayes, D.
- Tokgoz, S.
- Fabiosa, J.
- Elobeid, A.
- Dong, F.
- Houghton, R. A.
- Heimlich, R.
- Searchinger, T. D.
- Source: Science
- Volume: 319
- Issue: 5867
- Year: 2008
- Summary: Most prior studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gases because biofuels sequester carbon through the growth of the feedstock. These analyses have failed to count the carbon emissions that occur as farmers worldwide respond to higher prices and convert forest and grassland to new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. By using a worldwide agricultural model to estimate emissions from land-use change, we found that corn-based ethanol, instead of producing a 20% savings, nearly doubles greenhouse emissions over 30 years and increases greenhouse gases for 167 years. Biofuels from switchgrass, if grown on U.S. corn lands, increase emissions by 50%. This result raises concerns about large biofuel mandates and highlights the value of using waste products.
- Authors:
- Chikte, P.
- Bhalkare, S. K.
- Thakare, S. M.
- Lande, G. K.
- Source: Journal Of Cotton Research And Development
- Volume: 22
- Issue: 2
- Year: 2008
- Summary: The experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2004-05 at Dr. PDKV, Akola to evaluate the effect of different possible intercrops on bollworm complex on cotton crop. The intercrops viz., cotton+greengram, cotton+blackgram, cotton+cowpea, cotton+sorghum, cotton+maize, cotton+marigold, cotton+soybean in 1:1 ratio alongwith a treatment of sole cotton crop were sown. The intercrop cotton+cowpea proved to be the best recording least population of spotted bollworm, American bollworm and pink bollworm as against the treatment of sole cotton crop. The highest seed cotton yield of 251 kg/ha was recorded in cotton+cowpea-intercropping system as against 160 kg/ha recorded in the sole cotton crop.
- Authors:
- Rao, K. C.
- Bharathi, V.
- Reddy, L. K.
- Source: International Journal of Agricultural Sciences
- Volume: 4
- Issue: 2
- Year: 2008
- Summary: Plant root exudates are known to affect survival, reproduction and development of various microorganisms in soil through extremely complex phenomenon. Saprophytic and pathogenic activities such as competition and antibiosis of the root microflora are mediated by exudates. An analysis of the effect of different crop root exudates such as groundnut, castor, soybean, sunflower, maize, green gram, hybrid sorghum and resistant pigeon pea revealed high inhibitory effect on conidial germination and radial growth of fusarium udum. In contrast, the root exudates of local sorghum varieties had less influence on the radial growth of antagonistic fungi viz., Penicillium sp., Trichoderma sp. Aspergillus sp. in the increasing order (6.8, 9.8 and 10 per cent), in spite of promoting germination and radial growth of the wilt pathogen Fusarium udum. However, root exudates of some crops such as groundnut, cotton, hybrid sorghum and resistant pipeaonpea had stimulatory effect on antagonistic fungi such as Aspergillus sp. Pencillium sp. and Trichoderma sp. in the range of 39.8 to 47.5 per cent. Root exudates of cotton were, however, found to promote both the wilt pathogen, as well as antagonistic fungi. Groundnut and castor exudates were found to be at par with each other in the promotion of radial growth of antagonists. Identification of such biochemical compounds in the crop root exudates responsible for inhibition or stimulation of the fungi would be more useful.
- Authors:
- Jat, M.
- Sharma, S.
- Balyan, J.
- Sharma, R.
- Jain, L.
- Source: Current Agriculture
- Volume: 31
- Issue: 1/2
- Year: 2007
- Summary: A study was conducted at Dryland Farming Research Station, Arjia, Bhilwara during 1996 and 1997, to find out the tillage requirement for the maize, Seven tillage systems were evaluated for production of maize in kharif season. The tillage systems included were: A. Summer (T1 - Disc plough followed by cultivator, T2 - Cultivator followed by cultivator, T3 - Deshi plough followed by cultivator and T4 - Deshi plough followed by deshi plough), B. After pre monsoon (T5 - Disc plough followed by cultivator and T6 - Cultivator followed by cultivator) and C. At sowing (T7 - Cultivator followed by cultivator). The tillage system comprising of summer disc ploughing followed by cultivator was more beneficial as of this resulted in higher yield and net return supported by effective reduction in runoff, soil loss and increase water use efficiency for crops in the region. However, during good and low rainfall, for higher net return, there is a need of shift in tillage practices.
- Authors:
- Babu, K. S.
- Sharma, R. K.
- Kumar, K.
- Sharma, A. K.
- Source: Crop Protection
- Volume: 26
- Issue: 6
- Year: 2007
- Summary: A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of tillage systems on the incidence of Tilletia indica (Karnal bunt) in a rice-wheat system that is the most popular and prevalent crop rotation in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. A total of 906 samples, were drawn from the farmers' fields during the month of April during the 3 years study period. The samples collected were 365, 171, and 370 from the zero tillage (ZT), furrow irrigated raise bed system (FIRBS), and conventional till (CT) sown fields, respectively. The disease incidence, incidence index and percent-infected samples were calculated and statistically analyzed. Results showed that ZT fields had the lowest mean incidence of Karnal bunt, i.e. 9.00% infected samples in comparison to 18.10% and 16.20% under FIRBS and CT, respectively. Similarly, the average infection in infected samples was equal in FIRBS and CT, but the samples from ZT were statistically lower. KB incidence index showed a similar trend. ZT has shown a reduced incidence of KB in comparison to the raised bed (FIRBS) and CT systems. If ZT is followed for a period of a few years, it may help in reducing the effective soil inoculum and reducing the disease incidence over time.
- Authors:
- Srinivasarao, C.
- Vittal, K.
- Source: Indian Journal of Fertilisers
- Volume: 3
- Issue: 5
- Year: 2007
- Summary: Soil samples from 21 locations of the All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA) were characterized for organic carbon and availability of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and B. These twenty one locations cover agro-ecological regions from 2.3 to 12.3, semiarid, and sub-humid climate, soils examined were Vertisols, Vertic sub-groups, Affisols, Inceptisols and Aridisols from different Indian states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharshtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Haryana. Representative soil profile samples from following production systems were collected: upland rice, groundnut, soyabeans, cotton,Rabi sorghum, pearlmillet, fingermillet and maize-based system. Rainfall ranged from 412 to 1378 mm among locations. Various physico-chemical properties of the 21 profiles indicated that most of the locations were low in organic carbon showing less than 0.5% organic C. Clay content varied widely among soil types. Low organic matter in these soils was one of the important factors contributing to low soil fertility. Except few locations, most of the soils were low in available N. Available P varied from low to very high. Available K and sulfur varied from low to high. Available Zn was below critical limit in Rajkot, Anatapur, Rewa, Akola, Bellary, Bijapur and Solapur, Agra, S.K. Nagar, Arjia, Hoshiarpur and Rakh Dhiansar. Iron was deficient in Rajkot, Bellary and Bijapur. Surface layers of several profiles were deficient in available Ca (<1.5 me 100/g) such as Phulbani, Anantapur, S.K. Nagar and Bangalore. Surface layers of soils at Phulbani, Ranchi, Anantapur, Agra, Hisar, S.K. Nagar, Bangalore, Arjia, Hoshiarpur and Rakh Dhiansar were Mg deficient (<1.0 me 100/g). Out of the 21 locations, 11 were boron deficient. Except Indore, all other soils were multinutrient deficient. Results suggest that dryland soils are multinutrient deficient, thus proper nutrient management strategies and soil water conservation practices in dryland agriculture are needed.
- Authors:
- Babu, C.
- Sureshkumar, P.
- Sivakumar, S.
- Chandaragiri, K.
- Thirukumaran, K.
- Ramesh, S.
- Umashankar, R.
- Source: Journal of Ecobiology
- Volume: 19
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2007
- Summary: Field experiments were carried out at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University farm, Coimbatore, India, during north-east monsoon seasons of 2000-01 and 2001-02 to design a viable farming system by linking the crop and animal components viz., goat, rabbit and pigeon to sustain crop productivity and profitability and increasing the employment opportunity of dry land farmers. Among the different crops in the farming systems, pearl millet (cumbu) + soyabean grain, maize + cowpea fodder and Cenchrus ciliaris + Stylosanthes scabra fodder system with goat, rabbit and pigeon system were higher economic parameters in the second year than the first year. The economics of the integrated farming system revealed the superiority of pearl millet + soyabean grain, maize + cowpea fodder and C. ciliaris + S. scabra fodder with goat, rabbit and pigeon system in terms of higher total returns of Rs. 162 616 and 206 942, net returns of Rs. 80 924 and 125 250, benefit-cost ratio of 1.99 and 2.53 for every rupee invested and the per day returns (Rs.222 and 343) compared to other systems in first and second year, respectively. It also generated maximum employment opportunity of 490 man-days per year compared to other systems.
- Authors:
- Karunanithi, S.
- Sureshkumar, P.
- Umashankar, R.
- Sivakumar, S.
- Chandaragiri, K.
- Thirukumaran, K.
- Ramesh, S.
- Babu, C.
- Source: Journal of Ecobiology
- Volume: 19
- Issue: 3
- Year: 2007
- Summary: Field experiments were carried out at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University farm, Coimbatore (India) during north-east monsoon seasons of 2000-01 and 2001-02, to design a viable farming system by linking the crop and animal components, viz., goat, rabbit and pigeon to sustain the production and productivity of dry land through effective recycling of organic wastes. Results revealed that among the different crops in the farming systems, pearl millet (cumbu)+soyabean grain, maize+cowpea fodder and Cenchrus ciliaris+ Stylosanthes scabra fodder system added higher crop residues of 4250 and 5360 kg ha -1 in the first and second year, respectively. The cumbu+soyabean grain, maize+cowpea fodder and Cenchrus ciliaris+ Stylosanthes scabra fodder system added higher NPK through the residues addition in both the years by recording 31.0, 8.9 and 45.9 kg ha -1; and 39.1, 11.3 and 57.9 kg ha -1 of NPK for the first and second year, respectively. The conventional system (sorghum+cowpea grain) recorded the least amount of NPK addition through the crop residues in both the years. The total organic residues added by the crops+goat+rabbit+pigeon farming system were higher than other system in both the years (9527 and 8170 kg ha -1) and crop+goat+ rabbit+pigeon system added higher total NPK in both the years.
- Authors:
- Chauhan, S. K.
- Baljit, S.
- Saralch, H. S.
- Source: Agroforestry: systems and practices
- Year: 2007
- Summary: Punjab is the richest state in the country in term of per capita income and has earned the name as food bowl of the country by putting 84-85 per cent of its geographical area under highly intensive, technical and mechanical agriculture with cropping intensity as high as 185 per cent and contributing more than one third of rice and half of its wheat production to the central pool of food reserve. The food grain production in the state has increased approximately twelve times in a span of about 50 years after independence from 20 lac tones in 1950-51 to 234.89 lakh tonnes in 2002-2003. Achieving this high productivity without caring for natural resources has resulted in a considerable loss in the inherent production potential and deterioration of soil health. As a result, man is getting serious warning signals in the form of lowering of water table, drought, high rate of environmental pollution, extremes of climatic parameters, etc. Agriculture in the state has become too intensive, wasteful and reckless and the radical changes are required to maintain the balance. Therefore, there is a strong thinking to diversify farming in the state to maintain the sustainability of the whole system. The state government is stressing hard to save the natural resources through the diversification in traditional crop rotation and adopt resource-conserving measures. With the introduction of fast growing multipurpose tree species in Punjab during sixties, agroforestry has been recognized as a sustainable system of high potential to boost the state's meager forest resources and to check the further degradation of natural resources. Highly productive block planting of poplar intercropped with wheat, sugarcane, turmeric, oats, berseem, mustard, medicinal plants, seasonal flowers, vegetables, etc. has become popular in irrigated tracts of the state. Boundary planting of eucalypts in the wheat- paddy cropping system and scattered trees of kikar, khair, shisham, dek, etc. on cultivated lands under rainfed conditions, especially in the sub-montane foot hill zone, play an important role in soil conservation and boosting the socio-economic status of the farmers. These tree species have inherent potential of increasing the productivity of problematic lands of the state. Therefore, the diversion of farmlands towards agroforestry will not only increase tree cover but also achieve the desired objective of National Forest Policy-1988 and conserve the precious natural resources like ground water, soil, biodiversity, etc. and prove to be a viable alternative sustainable land use system, which is renewable and eco-friendly as compared to sole agricultural crops in the years to come. The profitability of tree plantations on farmers' fields will further improve with the implementation of trading of carbon credits under Kyoto Protocol.
