No abstract

The effect of five nutrient management practices on the yield and yield attributes, nutrient uptake and rain water use efficiency in four greengram varieties (Dhauli, Pusa-9531, OBGG-52 and Nayagarh Local) in rainfed upland inceptisol with sandy-loam soil was studied in factorial RBD with three replications during Kharif 2009 to 2012. Significant variety × nutrient interaction was observed with respect to seed yield, nodulation and other yield attributing characters. Based on the mean data over four years (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012), highest seed yield of 5.84 q ha -1 was observed in Pusa 9531 with lime+50% organic+ 50% inorganic treatment followed by Dhauli (5.53 q ha -1 ) with the same nutrient treatment. Highest RWUE was found in Lime + 50% organic + 50% inorganic treatment in all the varieties followed by 100% organic treatment in Dhauli, Pusa-9531 and OBGG-52 but in 50% organic + 50% inorganic treatment in case of Nayagarh Local. The uptake of N, P and K was also observed to be the highest in Lime + 50% organic + 50% inorganic treatment in all the varieties.

The possibility of increasing the cropping intensity in Khordha district was assessed by block-wise characterisation of rainfall, soil texture, available water holding capacity of soil and district level temperature during the rice fallow period as well as deciding the appropriate sowing window for both kharif and rabi crops. More than 50% chances of occurrence of wet weeks at the beginning of the kharif season (20-22 SMW) indicated that the summer ploughing and initial seed bed preparation could be taken up during the period followed by sowing of rice from 23 SMW. The 42-43 SMW with greater than 30% initial probability of wet week at 20 mm threshold limit. Considering the length of growing period (LGP) available, the adjustment of rice variety duration by 10-15 days in medium land and advancement of pulse sowing almost by 15 days before harvest of the rice crop (Pira crop) in low land was registered as the best su  suitable option for rabi pulses to ensure better utilisation of rice fallow. In addition to these, harvesting surplus water during kharif and storing in farm ponds for judicious utilisation during rabi season further enhanced the possibility of utilisation of rice fallow and increasing the cropping intensity. In the event of delayed monsoon the rice duration has to be adjusted accordingly not to sacrifice the designated suitable period for rabi pulses.

Long-term tillage and fertilizer experiments were conducted in rice in kharif followed by lentil in dry subhumid Inceptisols at Varanasi and Faizabad; horse gram at Phulbani and linseed at Ranchi in moist subhumid Alfisols in rabi during 2001 to 2010. The study was conducted to assess the effect of conventional tillage (CT), low tillage + interculture (LT1) and low tillage + herbicide (LT2) together with 100% N (organic) (F1), 50% N (organic) + 50% N (inorganic) (F2) and 100% N (inorganic) (F3) on productivity, profitability, rainwater and energy use efficiencies. The results at Varanasi revealed that CT was superior with mean yield of 2389 kg ha −1 , while F1 was superior with 2378 kg ha −1 in rice. At Faizabad, CT was superior with mean rice yield of 1851 kg ha −1 and lentil yield of 977 kg ha −1 , while F1 was superior with 1704 and 993 kg ha −1 of rice and lentil, respectively. At Phulbani, F2 was superior with rice yield of 1170 kg ha −1 . At Ranchi, F2 with rice yield of 986 kg ha −1 and F3 with linseed yield of 224 kg ha −1 were superior. The regression model of crop seasonal rainfall and yield deviations indicated an increasing trend in rice yield over mean (positive deviation) with increase in rainfall at all locations; while a decreasing trend (negative deviation) was found for lentil at Faizabad, horse gram at Phulbani and linseed at Ranchi. Based on economic analysis, CTF1 at Varanasi and Faizabad, CTF2 at Phulbani and LT2F2 at Ranchi were superior.

The research was conducted to determine the extent of climate change in Sambalpur district, Odisha from the year 1990 to 2019. The climate change was studied for rainfall and temperature by running Mann-Kendall test at 5% significance level on time series data for each of the 9 blocks for the time period 1990 to 2019. The resultant Mann-Kendall test statistics indicated how strong the trend in rainfall and temperature was and whether it was increasing or decreasing. For seasonal rainfall six of the nine blocks showed increasing trend but only 3 blocks showed significant increasing trend. Similarly, for maximum temperature six of the nine blocks showed increasing trend and of these six blocks five blocks showed significant increasing trend. For temperature extreme ≥ 40oC, the trend was increasing but insignificant. For temperature extreme  ≥ 45oC, the trend was decreasing but insignificant. For temperature extreme ≤10oC, a significant decreasing trend was observed.