No abstract

No abstract

Farmers mostly prefer mineral gypsum as reclamation ameliorant for sodic soils. Timely availability of quality product many a times hampers the pace of reclamation process impairing crops productivity to a greater extent. To measure the reclamative efficiency of pressmud in sodic ecosystems dominating rice (Oryza sativa L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)system, a total of 37 farmer’s participatory trials were carried out in Kaithal district of Haryana state. Soil incorporation of pressmud at 10 t/ha improved the plants adaptation through significant improvement in agro-physiological and biochemical parameters of crop response. Concomitant reduction in spikelets sterility (~21%) and chaffy grains per panicle (~17%) in rice under pressmud ameliorated plots imparted yield advantage to the tune of ~21% under sodic conditions. In wheat, pressmud application increased productive tillers per mrl (13%), spikelets per spike (8%), grains per earhead (10%) and 1000-grain weight (2%) elucidating ~14% yield gain compared to farmer’s managed plots. System productivity in terms of wheat equivalent yield improved by ~15% per cent due to pressmud application under a variable range of soil pH (7.18-8.65) and RSCiw (1.6-7.6 me/L). Pressmud incorporation resulted in reduction of Na saturation in soil-plant continum and neutralized soil alkalinity with consequent reduction in soil pH to the extent of 0.07-0.44 units with a mean value of 8.47 after crop harvest against initial value of 8.68. Amelioration of sodic soils through pressmud application showed economic benefits of ₹ 24779 / ha with incremental benefit-cost ratio of 5.04 for each rupee invested against the added cost of ₹ 4920 / ha. Field application of pressmud not only ensured the safe disposal of this waste byproduct but also helped in achieving the sustainable yields. Evidences from farmer’s participatory trials revealed that pressmud can serve as affordable alternative amendment to gypsum in sodic land reclamation programme. In nutshell, scientific diagnosis of field problems, strong farmers-scientist interface and participatory research could work as suitable and location specific adaptive strategies in arresting the salt induced land degradation and strengthening farmers’ livelihood.

To explore the comparative effects of field sodicity (soil pH) and irrigation water residual alkalinity (RSCiw) on physiological and biochemical attributes of salt tolerance, and crop performance of two wheat varieties (KRL 210, HD 2967), a total of 308 on-farm trials were carried out in sodicity affected Ghaghar Basin of Haryana, India. Salt tolerant variety KRL 210 maintained relatively higher leaf relative water content (RWC; 1.9%), photosynthetic rate (Pn; 5.1%), stomatal conductance (gS; 6.6%), and transpiration (E; 4.1%) with lower membrane injury (MII; −8.5%), and better control on accumulation of free proline (P; −18.4%), Na+/K+ in shoot (NaK_S; −23.1%) and root (NaK_R; −18.7%) portion compared to traditional HD 2967. Altered physiological response suppressed important yield-related traits revealing repressive effects of sodicity stress on wheat yields; albeit to a lesser extent in KRL 210 with each gradual increase in soil pH (0.77–1.10 t ha−1) and RSCiw (0.29–0.33 t ha−1). HD 2967 significantly outyielded KRL 210 only at soil pH ≤ 8.2 and RSCiw ≤ 2.5 me L−1. By comparisons, substantial improvements in salt tolerance potential of KRL 210 with increasing sodicity stress compensated in attaining significantly higher yields as and when soil pH becomes >8.7 and RSCiw > 4 me L−1. Designing such variety-oriented threshold limits of sodicity tolerance in wheat will help address the challenge to enhance crop resilience, closing the yield gaps and improve rural livelihood under the existing or predicted levels of salt stress.

Background: Karnataka is predominantly known for cluster bean production. The evidences claims that the cluster bean production is not a profitable option and has many constraints, which hinders farmers to take up this enterprise. The current study aims to analyze the growth in area, to forecast seed demand and to work out the economics of cluster bean production in Karnataka. Methods: The current study was based on the field survey conducted in Karnataka during 2019-20, to collect the primary data from cluster bean entrepreneurs. The study has also used secondary data for analysis. Four major districts in Karnataka were selected for the study, based on the maximum area and highest production. From each district, 30 farmers were randomly selected for collection of primary data, constituting a total of 120 farmers. The Compound Annual Growth Rate and cost-returns techniques were employed for data analysis. Result: The study indicated that Karnataka has registered a declined trend of 3.12 per cent per annum and the total estimated area under cluster bean would be 2,720 ha during 2021-22. Hence, the seed industry should cater seed demand to the tune of 544 quintals for the said period. Total cost of cultivation was worked out to be ₹ 35,176 per acre. The study emphasize that this enterprise provides higher gross and net returns to the tune of ₹ 70,851 and ₹ 35,675 per acre, respectively, with the Benefit-cost ratio of 2.01, indicating its profitability. Lack of availability of High Yielding Varieties/hybrid seeds and high wage rate were the major constraints notified in cluster bean enterprise.