Crops grown under rainfed conditions are prone to water stress, owing to rapid loss of soil moisture and development of mechanical impedance to root growth. The stress can be alleviated by enlarging rooting volume in the soil and/or by regulating the supply of soil moisture. This study reports the effects of zero, minimum and conventional tillage with and without rice straw mulch on conservation of soil moisture, root growth and yield of chickpea and mustard grown under rainfed conditions for three years (1990–91 to 1992–93) in a deep clayey soil (Typical Chromusterts). Minimum tillage, with or without straw, enhanced soil moisture conservation and moisture availability during crop growth. As a consequence, the root mass, yield components (plant stand, number of pods per plant and plant height) and grain yield increased. Availability of soil moisture during the crops growth period, maintained better plant water status. Zero tillage was superior to the other tillage practices for mustard. On the other hand, chickpea grain yield was statistically similar for zero tillage and minimum tillage. Straw mulch conserved more water in the soil profile during the early growth period compared to no mulch. Subsequent release of conserved soil water regulated proper plant water status, soil temperature, and lowered soil mechanical resistance, leading to better root growth and higher grain yield of both chick‐pea and mustard in straw mulch than in no mulch plots. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry

In the study, an attempt has been made to delineate the landforms of Goriyabahar Nala watershed in hot sub-humid ecological sub-regions (ESR) of Bastar Plateau, Chhattisgarh. To achieve the objectives of the study, freely available open source high resolution satellite data viz. 12.5 m ALOS-DEM (Digital Elevation Model) were utilized. ALOS-DEM was analyzed to extract terrain parameters like elevation, contour, slope, hillshade, drainage, etc. and was visually interpreted. Based on the contour lines at 5 m intervals, seven major landforms were identified, namely subdued hills, undulating uplands, undulating midlands, undulating lowlands, upper valley, narrow valley and alluvial plains. The study manifest that the high resolution satellite data viz. ALOS-DEM will be of immense help in delineation of distinct landforms.

The study was carried out for evaluation of soil fertility with respect to available sulphur status and its relationship with important physico-chemical characteristics in red and yellow soil of Dabhra block under Janjgir district of Chhattisgarh during 2013-14. Grid based surface (0-15 cm depth) soil samples were collected using global positioning system (GPS) from 126 villages from every 10 ha land area. The soil result revealed that pH varied from 4.1-8.4 (mean 5.7) and indicated that soils were found to be acidic to slightly alkaline in reaction. The electrical conductivity (EC) varied from 0.01 to 0.97dS m-1 with a mean value of 0.16 dS m-1 at 25 o C of the Dabhra block. The total salt content of these soils, expressed as EC, were categorized as <0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3 and >0.3 dSm-1. The soil ranged from 0.01-1.3 with a mean value of organic carbon 0.57 per cent, about 52.66 per cent soil of this block came under medium, 31.75 per cent sample under low and only 14.29 per cent sample had high range of fertility group. The soil was high in available S content. It ranged from 7.28 to 89.6 kg ha-1 with an average of 35.02 kg ha-1. The available S in more than 44.37 per cent soil sample was classified as high, 21.89 per cent sample under medium and 33.72 per cent sample in low fertility class under fertility group. The correlation between available S and soil properties showed negative significant correlation with pH and positive significant correlation with OC.

A study was conducted to interpolate and to explore the analysis of spatial variability of major soil nutrients in Basaltic Terrain of Bemetara district, Chhattisgarh. A total of 182 soil samples (0-25 cm) were collected randomly using GPS. Soil chemical properties i.e. available nutrients (N, P and K) were measured in laboratory. Data were interpolated by Ordinary Kriging (Spherical, Circular, and Gaussian). The performance of methods was evaluated using Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Goodness of prediction (G) obtained from a cross-validation procedure. The results showed that Circular, spherical, and Gaussian models were found best fit for available N, P, and K, respectively. All variables showed strong spatial dependence. Cross validation of kriged map showed that spatial prediction of soil nutrients using semi variogram parameters is better than assuming mean of observed value for any unsample location. Therefore it is a suitable alternative method for accurate estimation of soil properties in unsampled positions as compared to direct measurement which has time and costs concerned.

A study was conducted on the soils under rice and soybean based cropping systems in Bemetara block of Bemetara District, Chhattisgarh in order to characterize and classify them. The investigation revealed that the rice growing soils were very deep, dark grayish in color (10 YR 3/2) and clayey in texture throughout the depth, with presence of slickensides in the sub-surface layers. During the summers, the soils exhibited wide spread cracks on the surface, extending to the surface of the slickensides. Periodic opening and closing of cracks, clay content more than 30% rich in smectites and the presence of slickensides thicker than 25 cm in these soils qualify them to Vertisols. In absence of slickensides and wedge shaped soil structure in the sub-surface and clay content less than 35% below the surface, the soybean growing soils could not qualify for Vertisols and placed in the other soil order, Inceptisols.