4. CROP AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
4.1 AGRONOMY
4. CROP AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR
4.1.2 Use of Nutrient expert® and Green Seeker in maize for higher N use efficiency
In order to achieve the higher N use efficiency decision support tools, i.e. Nutrient expert® (NE) and Green Seeker (GS) were evaluated in maize.
Significantly higher agronomic efficiency and partial factor productivity of N in maize was observed due to application of basal and 1st split of N based on nutrient expert (NE) recommendation followed by NDVI based N using GS at Feekes 5-6 stages over state recommendation (SR). Integrated use of NE and GS also helped in curbing N leaching as indicated by lesser NO3-N availability in lower profile.
Agronomic efficiency of N in maize influenced by different precision management tools
4.1.3 Conservation agriculture (CA) based direct-seeded rice-wheat-mungbean system
A long-term CA-based triple zero-till (ZT) system with three crops (rice, wheat, mungbean) residue, which involved ZT-DSR with summer mungbean residue (MR)–ZT wheat (ZTW) with rice residue (RR)–ZT summer mungbean (MB) with wheat residue (MR+ZTDSR-RR+ZTW-WR+ZTMB) had ~33.5%
higher system productivity, besides saving of 25% N (amounting to 60 kg Nha-1) in rice and wheat compared to conventional transplanted rice-wheat system. It also had higher water and energy productivity along with reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.
Zero-till DSR, wheat and summer mungbean with previous crops residue in system
4.1.4 Conservation agriculture based cotton-wheat system as an alternative to rice-wheat system
The CA-based cotton-wheat system was found as a superior alternative to diversify the predominant rice- wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). The
Carbon recycling under crop-livestock IFS model
Agronomic efficiency of ( kg/kg N applied)
zero till flat bed (ZTFB) and zero till permanent broad bed ZTPBB along with residue and 100% recommended N resulted in 15 and 13% higher system productivity, respectively as compared to conventional till system.
The ZT PBB with residue and 75% N was comparable 100% recommended N use, indicating a saving of 25%
N, amounting to 67.5 kg N ha-1 in the system.
4.1.5 Conservation agriculture based pigeon pea-wheat system as a promising crop diversification option for rice-wheat system
CA-based pigeon pea-wheat system grown under ZT flat bed with residue (ZTFB+R) and permanent broad bed with residue (PBB+R) were superior to conventional tillage (CT) grown rice- wheat system.
The ZTFB +R and PBB+R resulted in ~19 and ~18%
higher system productivity over CT system
Pigeon pea and wheat crops grown under the zero-till permanent broad bed with residue
4.1.6 Summer green-manuring and sulphur fertilization under basmati rice–durum wheat system
Under basmati rice–durum wheat cropping sequence, the highest grain yield of rice (~4.49 t/ha) and wheat (~5.27 t/ha) were recorded due to direct and residual effect of dhaincha green manuring. The application of bentonite (90% sulphur) @ 40 kg/ha to rice recorded ~8–8.74% higher rice grain yield, whereas the highest wheat yield (~5.66 t/ha) was recorded when the same was applied to both rice and wheat crop (~35.7% higher over control).
4.1.7 Enhancing farm income through crop diversification under limited water use
Different promising cropping systems including agri-horti systems were evaluated under limited irrigation situation. Among these, maximum system productivity (5.89 t/ha) and net returns (` 1.93 lakh ha-1) were recorded with babycorn-chickpea cropping system followed by babycorn-barley.
Baby corn and chickpea grown under agri-horti systems
4.1.8 Sustainable crop intensification through conservation agriculture and pulse integration under rainfed systems
The highest chickpea equivalent seed yield (1473 kg ha-1) was recorded with zero tillage + residue mulch (ZT + RM). Increase in chickpea equivalent yield was recorded by 4.86 and 30.8% with 4 t/ha residue than 3 and 2 tha-1residues, respectively. Among the crops, chickpea grown after pearlmillet recorded significantly higher grain yield (1594 kg/ha), which led to 54 and 27.8% increment over lentil and barley, respectively. Among tillage, ZT + RM registered the highest net returns (` 31,923 ha-1), benefit: cost ratio (0.88) and water use efficiency (8.51 kg ha-1/ ha-mm), whereas CT recorded the lowest net returns (` 20,271/ha),
Chickpea and barley grown under zero tillage + residue mulch
benefit: cost ratio (0.64) and water use efficiency (6.51 kg ha-1-mm).
4.1.9 Evaluation of ZnO nanoparticle embedded N:P:K (15:15:15) complex fertilizer in wheat
The evaluation of ZnO nanoparticle embedded N:P:K (15:15:15) complex fertilizer in wheat suggested that 100% NPK [100% RDK through ZnO nanoparticle embedded N:P:K (15:15:15) and 75% NPK [75% RDK through ZnO nanoparticle embedded N:P:K (15:15:15) produced statistically at par grain yield. Thus, 25%
NPK can be saved under 75% NPK through ZnO nanoparticle embedded N:P:K (15:15:15) complex fertilizer. Relatively higher nutrient use efficiency indices, net returns and B: C ratio were also recorded under this treatment over 100% NPK [100% RDK through N: P:K (15:15:15) complex fertilizer].
4.1.10 Evaluation of wheat varieties at different sowing dates
In a field trial, diverse wheat varieties viz., HS 562, HD 2967, HD 3086, HI 1544, MACS 6222 and WR 544 were evaluated under four dates of sowing viz., 5th November, 25th November, 15th December and 5th January to find out the performance under changing climatic scenario during 2017-18. Results indicated that 25th November sowing recorded maximum (grain 5.27 and biological 12.98 t/ha) yields during first year but in second year 5th November sowing gave highest wheat grain and biological yield (5.74 and 12.46 t ha-1). In case of wheat varieties, HI 1544 produced maximum grain (5.09 and 5.55 t ha-1) and biological yields (12.42 and 13.98 t ha-1) in both the years, which were significantly higher than rest of the varieties.
4.1.11 Performance of wheat in different tillage and crop establishment, residue and nutrient management options
The results of the field study revealed that all the growth attributes, effective tillers m-2, other yield attributes, grain yield and biological yields were higher in conventional tillage-raised bed (CT-RB) and
conventional tillage-flat bed (CT-FB) as compared to zero tillage flat bed and raised bed. Among residue and nutrient management treatments, significantly higher growth, yield attributes and yields were recorded with the application of residue @ 3 t ha-1 + RDF as compared to the other treatment combinations of no-residue, no NPK fertilizer or sub-optimal NPK use.
4.1.12 Evaluation of different rabi crop genotypes for higher productivity and profitability under rainfed condition
Three pulse crops i.e. chickpea (cv. Shubhra and Ujjawala), lentil (cv. Pusa Vaibhav and Shivalik) and grass pea (cv. Rajendra Khesari 1 and Prateek) were evaluated under different tillage and residue management practices. Maximum growth, yield attributes and yield of pulses were under conservation agriculture with 3 t ha-1 rice residue. Among the different varieties grown maximum grain yield was obtained with chickpea cv. Ujjawala, grass pea cv.
Prateek across the tillage and residue management options. However, lentil cv. Shivalik performed well in conventional agriculture practice and cv. Pusa Vaibhav in conservation agriculture. Noticeably Fusarium wilt problem was observed more in chick pea cv.
Ujjawala grown under conventional agriculture while no such disease was noticed when it was grown with conservation agriculture along with 3 t ha-1 residue.