4. Production strategies for cropping systems

Transcript

Hi Friends, in the previous lectures we have studied about the selection of the crops, cropping systems and the crop interaction as well as crop management practicesfor the cropping systems, which have been selected for the dryland systems. In this lecture let us study about the production strategies for the cropping systems. The first and foremost will be tillage. The red soils and black soils will have separate tillage practices. In red soils shallow tillage, up to 10 centimeters in red soils immediately after the harvest of the previous season crop, will improve the infiltration. In case of black soils deep tillage immediately after the harvest of previous season crop, to control the soil depth and to control the perennial weeds. So in case of red soils the purpose of tillage is different, whereas in case of black soils the purpose of tillage is different. In case of red soils it is to improve the infiltration, whereas in case of black soils it is to increase the soil depth and to control the soil perennial weeds.

Next coming to the contour cultivation, the all the field activities like ploughing, tilling, seeding along the contours across the slope to increase the yield by 20 to 35%. Contour cultivation is a cultivation wherein across the slopes contour lines will be drawn and across the contour lines all the field activities will be done. And when this field activities will be done, the soil erosion will be affected, the soil erosion will be arrested, and the subsequent yield will be increased by 20-25%.

Next coming to the compartmental bunding, usually which is carried out in black soils. And during kharif complete primary tillage, first followed by two harrowings, then construct the compartmental bunds of suitable size on lands having slopes of 2 to 3%. This compartmental bunding is usually followed in case of black soils. In case of black soils during the kharif, the primary tillage will be carried out first, followed by two harrowings. Then after that these lands will be compartmentalized, in which of a suitable size, and having a slope of 2 to 3%, and it will hold the moisture for a long time and also contributes for the significant increase in the yield.

Then coming to the tiled ridges and furrows. Here open the furrows at 60-70 centimeters apart, across the slope in black soil after completion of the primary tillage. Tie at regular interval along the length. This increases the yield by 30%. In this it has been practiced in the black soils. Here the ridges and furrows will be opened and they will be tied at a suitable intervals. As you can see from the figure, the furrows will be opened and they will be tied at the regular intervals. It increases the chances of holding the moisture or water here and subsequently moisture retaining capacity. Next coming to the broad furrows and ridges. Here layout the land into broad furrows and ridges across the slope in medium to deep black soils of 2% slope, to conserve the rainwater effectively and to increase the grain yield. This is a common practice in case of black soils of 2 to 3% slope, wherein the broad furrows and ridges will be opened. And to conserve the rainwater effectively, and to increase the grain yields.

Then coming to the scooping. Scooping is also one of the important moisture conservation practice. Form the scoops during the 2nd fortnight of July across the slope or along the contour to increase the infiltration rate and to reduce the erosion. These scoops can be revived after each rain for better infiltration. This is also followed in case of black soils, wherein small scoops will be opened for the entry of water and also moisture retaining. After that, after every rain, these scoops will be revived for the holding of the moisture, and it will helps to increase the yield.

Then coming to mulching, in that vertical mulching. So opening the trenches of 30 centimeter deep and 15 centimeter width across the slope at vertical intervals of 30 centimeter and stuffing the crop stubbles vertically in these trenches. So what happens in case of this in black soils. The trenches will be opened at 30 centimeter depths, and 15 centimeter depth at 30 centimeter vertical interval. In these places the mulches or the straw particles, the straws will be dibbled or will be stacked, and these guides the water to enter into the sub soil layers. In this way here the moisture can be conserved, subsequently yield will be enhanced. Next coming to the surface mulching. Here opening ridges and furrows at suitable length prior to sowing. Then the sowing will be performed. Then after the during the inter-culture, these crop residues will be applied between the rows. Here ridges and furrows will be opened, then the sowing operation will be performed. During the inter-culturing operations, the residues; crop residues will be spread in between the rows, which conserves some moisture and also increases the yields.

Then coming to the inter-cultivation. Frequent inter-cultivation operations break the soils, help in closing the cracks, create dust mulch and control the weeds. Inter-culturation is a practice, wherein in black soils it is mainly carried out to close the cracks. Why we have to close the cracks? Because from these cracks the evaporation is checked. And also we can check the weeds growth. In that way, the moisture will also be, the loss of moisture will also be checked.

Then coming to the seed hardening and dry seeding. These two are very important practices in case of dryland soil. What is seed hardening? The seed hardening refers to technique of subjecting seeds to 2-3 cycles of soaking with appropriate chemical solution and drying. It means the seeds will be soaked in a 0.2% calcium chloride for a definite cycles. And it will be dried. Then dry seeding. Dry seeding is the technique of placing the hardened seeds in a dry soil. Dry seeding is nothing but the hardened seeds are taken and they have placed in the dry soil. This is practiced in case where the rainfall is expected. So this is what happens in case of rainfed agriculture; timely sowing is important. In anticipation of rains, after the rains it will take some time to prepare the seed bed and then sow the seeds, and after that subsequent moisture will not be available for the germination of the seeds. So in that cases in anticipation of the rains, the seeds will be put into the furrows for dry seeding, and after the receipt of the rains the seeds will germinate easily. So this is the picture having seed hardening then dry seeding practices. You can see that the soil is not moist, and here the seeds are put to dry.

Then coming to the management practices for the early season drought, mid-season drought, late season drought. We have abberant weather conditions, wherein onset of the monsoon will be delayed, which is called as early season drought. So in that case what are the management practices to be followed for the successful cultivation of crops in the dryland soils. Land configurations mainly formation of tied ridges and broad furrows and ridges. Land configurations have to be made. What are the land configurations? Here the tied ridges and furrows should be made. Then crop management, seed hardening, transplanting and re-sowing. Seed hardening and dry seeding should be followed. Then transplanting community nurseries. What happens in case of early season drought? The commencement of the rains is not proper. During that time community nurseries can be followed, community nurseries can be established. So whenever the rain occurs, we can transplant the seedlings from the nurseries.

And the third one is re-sowing. Instead of maintaining the poor plant stand. Wherever the sowing has taken, the plant stand will not be good. In that cases we can take up the re-sowing. These are the crop management practices. What are the management of biotic stress, insect pests, diseases. These diseases and insect pests can be controlled by a combination of chemical, biological and cultural measures. Coming to the mid-season drought, where the long dry spells during the crop growth are expected or occurred.

• In this top dressing of foliar spray of urea at 2%.
• Then reducing the leaf area index by removing every alternate or third row of the crop.
• Then close the soil cracks by repeated deep inter-culturing.

So foliar spray of 2% urea, it maintains the moisture and it will maintain the rigor and growth of the plants. That’s why urea at 2% should be sprayed. Then remove the leaf area index by removing the every alternate or third row of the crop. This is to the leaves have been reduced. Leaves have been removed to reduce the leaf area index. And the third one is close the soil cracks by repeated deep inter-culturing practices. By following the deep inter-culturing practices the cracks will be closed and evaporation losses have been checked.

Coming to the late season drought, wherein the cessation of the rainfall will be very much earlier than the normal period. In that supplemental irrigation, use of surface mulches, and avoiding the cracks by forming thin mulch using a blade hoe. So supplemental irrigation, this is practiced wherever the farm bunds have been excavated and the water is being stored. Then use of surface mulches to reduce the moisture loss from the already opened up cracks. There we have to put surface mulches. Then avoid the cracks by forming thin mulch using a blade hoe. Blade hoe is an instrument which just passes through the soil, and open up the soil mulch and it will close the cracks. And that way we can avoid the hoe operation losses by the inter-cultural operation.

So the conclusion is that. The need for introducing and modifying new technologies for increasing and sustaining yield in dryland areas should be emphasized. Always it is true in case of drylands, we have to modify and refine the technologies as per the need. And these type of technologies should be emphasized. To mitigate some of the abnormal weather situations, farmers should make changes in the normal cropping schedule, and adopting technologies for getting some production in place of the total crop failure. Whenever the abnormal weather conditions occur or aberrant weather conditions occur, then in such cases we have to shift from the normal cropping schedules and we have to use some technologies to combat the weather aberrations. This will pave the way for getting at least some yield instead of total crop failure. So this way the production technologies have to be followed in case of cropping systems.

Thank You.