System of Crop Intensification in Ragi for Sustained Productivity to Meet the Challenges in Climate Change

Abstract

System of crop intensification is one of the important concept to improve the productivity and to sustain the income of the farmers in long run. The doubling of farmers’ income is the talk of the day to help them in their livelihood in spite of various constraints face in the field. Climate change is another challenge in the years to come for the farming sectors. Field experiments were conducted from 2016 to 2019 to evaluate the establishment technique in ragi (SRgI) wherein the experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design, replicated thrice. The treatment consists of three establishment techniques viz., Spacing: S1 (22.5 X 22.5 cm), S2 (25 X 25 cm) and S3 (30 X 30 cm), Number of seedling: N1 (one seedling per hill) and N2 (two seedlings per hill) and Age of seedling: A1 (12 days old seedling), A2 (15 days old seedling) and A3 (18 days old seedling) and control (22.5 X 10 cm, two seedlings per hill and 18 days old seedlings). The results revealed that single seedling with 12 days’ age under wider spacing (30 X 30cm) was the suitable establishment technique to meet the challenges of increased production in millets. It was found that SRgI technique could result in single stroke harvest of ragi, avoiding multiple harvests. The results from the previous research of SRgI was considered, as a tool for mitigating climate change strategies viz., high temperature and low rainfall. The experiments were taken up (2019-21) under Factorial Randomized Block Design, replicated thrice. The treatments consist of two factors viz., Date of sowing: S1 (Sowing on June 1st week), S2 (Sowing on June 2nd week), S3 (Sowing on June 3rd week) and S4 (Sowing on June 4th week); and Variety: V1(TRY1), V2 (CO14), and V3 (CO 15). SRgI method of planting was adopted i.e., single seedling with wider spacing. From the reference of the pertaining data, it can be deduced that early sowing of variety TRY 1 and CO 15 on 1st and 2nd week of June respectively could increase the production of ragi, minimize the risk of pest incidence and reduce the cost of production thereby support as a resistant crop to mitigate the climate change concepts projected in near future keeping in view of the System of Crop Intensification and its benefits.