Effect of moisture conservation measures on runoff, soil loss and yield of crops

Abstract

A study was undertaken in sub-humid southern plain zone and Aravalli hills of Rajasthan at Changedi, Udaipur to assess the effect of vegetative as well as mechanical measure on runoff, soil loss and productivity of crops. The six treatments consisted of sowing along the slope, sowing along the earthern bund in cross section of 0.2 m2 at 30 m horizontal interval (HI), contour sowing along the vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides), Munj (Saccharum munja), lemon (Cymbopogon flexuosus) and Mehandi (Lawsonia inermis) grass key line with ‘V’ ditch in cross section of 0.09m2 at 30 m HI. The plot size of each treatment was 2, 200 m2 with slope length of 90 m having a uniform slope of per cent. The runoff and soil loss were highest in sowing along the slope while these were lowest under sowing across slope during all the years. Among various treatments sowing along the earthern bund and contour sowing along lemon/Munj/vetiver grass key line resulted in lowest runoff and soil loss thus resulted in significantly higher grain yield of maize and guar.