Track 2-4-1: Water Harvesting, Watershed Management, Water Use Efficiency and Eco-Hydrology
Description
Indian farmers generally take more than one crop in a year to maximize their total production and profits. In this process fodder sorghum followed by crops like chickpea, wheat, oat, barley and mustard are common in Bundelkhand region of central India. The soils of Budelkhand region of India are medium to low in fertility with low organic matter content and poor water holding capacity that limits the fodder and food productivity. Therefore, adoption of resource conserving technologies in fodder sorghum based cropping systems under rainfed conditions is one of the potential areas, where increase in green fodder and food production with enhanced resource use efficiency can be achieved (Dixit et al., 2014). Adoption of resource conserving technologies includes minimal soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover and crop diversification through conservation of moisture for which the role of green manure mulches has been well recognised. Under rainfed situation, moisture stress has been identified as one of most important factor limiting yield of post rainy season crop. Introducing conservation tillage (zero tillage/reduced tillage) along with foliage mulching may improve soil moisture conservation, weed control, soil physic-chemical and biological properties, system productivity and may also reduce fuel, animal or human energy required for land preparation.
Citation
Kumar, Kiran; Palsaniya, T.; Dixit, A. K.; Prabhu, G.; and Chaudhary, Manoj, "Tillage and Mulching Effects on Crop Productivity and Moisture Dynamics in Fodder Sorghum Based Cropping Systems under Rainfed Condition" (2020). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 8.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/23/2-4-1/8
Included in
Tillage and Mulching Effects on Crop Productivity and Moisture Dynamics in Fodder Sorghum Based Cropping Systems under Rainfed Condition
Indian farmers generally take more than one crop in a year to maximize their total production and profits. In this process fodder sorghum followed by crops like chickpea, wheat, oat, barley and mustard are common in Bundelkhand region of central India. The soils of Budelkhand region of India are medium to low in fertility with low organic matter content and poor water holding capacity that limits the fodder and food productivity. Therefore, adoption of resource conserving technologies in fodder sorghum based cropping systems under rainfed conditions is one of the potential areas, where increase in green fodder and food production with enhanced resource use efficiency can be achieved (Dixit et al., 2014). Adoption of resource conserving technologies includes minimal soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover and crop diversification through conservation of moisture for which the role of green manure mulches has been well recognised. Under rainfed situation, moisture stress has been identified as one of most important factor limiting yield of post rainy season crop. Introducing conservation tillage (zero tillage/reduced tillage) along with foliage mulching may improve soil moisture conservation, weed control, soil physic-chemical and biological properties, system productivity and may also reduce fuel, animal or human energy required for land preparation.
