Crop Practices Research Articles

Crop Residue Management Initiatives in Changing the Farmers Behaviour and Farm Production in Bareilly district

The study was conducted in Bareilly District of Western Uttar Pradesh from 2022 to 2023 to ascertain the impact of In-situ Crop Residue Management (CRM) initiatives in changing the farmers’ behaviour and improving the farm production on farmers’ field. A total of 81 adopted farmers were selected purposively for the study. In-situ crop residue management increased from 13.6 to 92.6 per cent. Further, the manure and fertilizer usage in major crops viz. wheat, sugarcane, and mustard were reduced significantly among the adopted farmers on whose fields the demonstrations of crop residue management were conducted. The crop yield of wheat, mustard, and sugarcane increased significantly by 24.44, 42.48, and 18.31 per cent, respectively among the adopted farmers. Also germination, tillering/branching in plants, moisture in soil, and size of the grain increased due to the in-situ management of crop residue as reported by 70 to 80 per cent of the farmers. Adoption of crop residue management practices in wheat crop reduced the cost of cultivation by 4 per cent and gross and net return increased by 26.8 and 44.3 per cent, respectively.

Soil Quality Indicators under Different Smallholder Managed Cropping and Landuse Practices in Abuja, Nigeria

There are limited reports about the impacts of smallholder-managed cropping and land-use practices (CLUPs) on soil quality, especially in developing countries. This study investigates the impact of six different Cropping Land Use Practices (CLUPs) on soil quality parameters in Abuja, Nigeria, focusing on sesame mono-cropping (SM), guinea corn mono-cropping (GCM), yam mono-cropping (YM), maize + yam mixed cropping (MYM), maize mono-cropping (MM), and natural forest (NF). The objectives are to determine Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), Total Nitrogen (TN), and pH values in the six CLUPs and assess differences under various CLUPs and soil depths. The study conducted in the University of Abuja Permanent Site, covers 11,000 hectares and analyzes soil samples from three replicate plots per CLUP, considering topsoil (0-15cm) and subsoil (20-30cm). The results indicate slightly acidic soils with low SOC and TN contents. Significant differences in SOC, TN, and C/N ratio are observed among cropping systems, with mixed cropping (MYM) promoting higher SOC. The C/N ratio is consistently low across CLUPs, indicating accelerated decomposition. While intra-plot soil heterogeneity is low, significant declines in soil quality indicators are noted under cropping systems compared to the natural forest. The study recommends site-specific, sustainable land management practices tailored to each cropping system. Encouraging organic matter additions, such as using animal and farmyard manure, is proposed to enhance soil fertility and reverse degradation trends. The findings contribute to understanding how diverse cropping practices impact soil quality, providing valuable insights for sustainable land management in the Abuja region.

Research Initiatives towards Implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Practices for Rice and Other Crops in Malaysia

Research Initiatives towards Implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Practices for Rice and Other Crops in Malaysia

Cover crops, crop rotation, and gypsum, as conservation practices, impact Mehlich-3 extractable plant nutrients and trace metals

Conservation practices are encouraged to improve soil health and sustain agronomic crop production. Mehlich-3 is often used as a multi-nutrient extractant to determine soil fertility status. A study investigated the impacts of the conservation practices of gypsum, cover crops, and crop rotation on 28 Mehlich-3 extractable elements, of which 11 were considered plant nutrients, from soil at three midwestern US locations. Soil was collected from 0 to 15 and 15–30 cm depths 5 years after implementing the conservation practices. Treatments consisted of (1) with and without cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) winter cover, (2) continuous soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] vs. soybean-corn (Zea mays L.) rotation, and (3) annual gypsum application (0, 1.1, and 2.2 Mg ha−1). Differences were observed by site, depth, and conservation practice depending on the element evaluated. Minimal interactive effects were observed among treatments. The most consistent effect was observed for crop rotation across sites. Gypsum only affected the site with the greatest clay content, where more Ca and S were retained, and Mg and Mn displaced. Cover crop only affected elements at this high clay site, where different elements were positively or negatively affected. Results suggest that not one practice fits all, and optimum conservation practices must be tailored for the site.

Effects of Land Use on Soil Physical-Hydric Attributes in Two Watersheds in the Southern Amazon, Brazil

Changes in land use can cause degradation of soil physical quality with negative effects on the environment and agricultural production. The effects of different land uses on soil physical-hydric attributes were studied in the Renato River and Caiabi River watersheds in the southern Brazilian Amazon. Three conditions of land use were evaluated: native forest, crops, and pasture in the headwater, middle, and mouth of each watershed. Particle size, particle density, bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, water contents at field capacity and permanent wilting point, and available water capacity in soil were evaluated in three soil layers down to 0.4 m. Data collected were subjected to the Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric test and Pearson’s correlations. Multivariate analyses were also performed using the principal component method. In the Renato watershed, in comparison with native forest, conventional management of pasture and crops caused soil physical degradation, increasing soil density in the surface layer and reducing macroporosity and total porosity. In the Caiabi watershed, converting native forest areas into pasture and crops altered water quality, influencing the water dynamics in the soil, by reducing soil water conductivity. Soil attributes varied by watershed, with texture variations between the headwater and mouth, indicating that changes in soil properties result from both management and the granulometric composition of the soil in different regions of the same watershed. Adoption of crop and pasture conservation practices can improve soil physical attributes in regions bordering agricultural areas in the southern Amazon.

Agronomic strategies to enhance the early vigor and yield of maize part II: the role of seed applied biostimulant, hybrid, and starter fertilization on crop performance.

Maize cropping systems need to be re-designed, within a sustainable intensification context, by focusing on the application of high-use efficiency crop practices, such as those that are able to enhance an early plant vigor in the first critical growth stages; such practices could lead to significant agronomic and yield benefits. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the effects of the cultivation of hybrids with superior early vigor, of the distribution of starter fertilizers at sowing, and of the seed application of biostimulants on promoting plant growth and grain yield in full factorial experiments carried out in both a growth chamber and in open fields. The greatest benefits, in terms of plant growth enhancement (plant height, biomass, leaf area) and cold stress mitigation, were detected for the starter fertilization, followed by the use of an early vigor hybrid and a biostimulant seed treatment. The starter fertilization and the early vigor hybrid led to earlier flowering dates, that is, of 2.1 and 2.8 days, respectively, and significantly reduced grain moisture at harvest. Moreover, the early vigor hybrid, the starter NP fertilization, and the biostimulant treatment increased grain yield by 8.5%, 6.0%, and 5.1%, respectively, compared to the standard hybrid and the untreated controls. The combination of all the considered factors resulted in the maximum benefits, compared to the control cropping system, with an increase in the plant growth of 124%, a reduction of the sowing-flowering period of 5 days, and a gain in grain yield of 14%. When choosing the most suitable crop practice, the diversity of each cropping system should be considered, according to the pedo-climatic conditions, the agronomic background, the yield potential, and the supply chain requirements.

Agronomic strategies to enhance the early vigor and yield of maize. Part I: the role of seed applied biostimulant, hybrid and starter fertilization on rhizosphere bacteria profile and diversity.

The sustainable intensification of maize-based systems may reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and the excessive use of non-renewable inputs. Considering the key role that the microbiological fertility has on crop growth and resilience, it is worth of interest studying the role of cropping system on the rhizosphere bacterial communities, that affect soil health and biological soil fertility. In this work we monitored and characterized the diversity and composition of native rhizosphere bacterial communities during the early growth phases of two maize genotypes of different early vigor, using a nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (P) starter fertilization and a biostimulant seed treatment, in a growth chamber experiment, by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of partial 16S rRNA gene and amplicon sequencing. Cluster analyses showed that the biostimulant treatment affected the rhizosphere bacterial microbiota of the ordinary hybrid more than that of the early vigor, both at plant emergence and at the 5-leaf stage. Moreover, the diversity indices calculated from the community profiles, revealed significant effects of NP fertilization on richness and the estimated effective number of species (H2) in both maize genotypes, while the biostimulant had a positive effect on plant growth promoting community of the ordinary hybrid, both at the plant emergence and at the fifth leaf stage. Our data showed that maize genotype was the major factor shaping rhizosphere bacterial community composition suggesting that the root system of the two maize hybrids recruited a different microbiota. Moreover, for the first time, we identified at the species and genus level the predominant native bacteria associated with two maize hybrids differing for vigor. These results pave the way for further studies to be performed on the effects of cropping system and specific crop practices, considering also the application of biostimulants, on beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms.

Training Need Assessment of Rythu Bharosa Kendra (RBK) Staff of SPSR Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh, India

The present study was conducted during the year 2022-23 by following Ex-Post-Facto research design with objective of studying the Training Need Assessment of Rythu Bharosa Kendra (RBK) Staff of SPSR Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of 120 RBK staff of SPSR Nellore district from 08 agriculture divisions were interviewed with help of prestructured interview schedule. The findings of the current study indicate that concerning Crop Production, subjects such as Integrated Farming Systems, Cropping Systems, and the management of Micro-Nutrient Deficiencies have emerged as particularly crucial areas that require focused training for the RBK staff in the sampled region. Regarding the aspects of Crop Protection, the RBK staff highlighted a need for training in Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Disease Management, and the implementation of Biocontrol Methods. In the domain of Horticulture, the RBK staff expressed a need for training in various areas, including the Package of Practices for Plantation Crops, the techniques of Nursery Establishment and Management, as well as the processes of Grading and Quality Assessment. Regarding the management of dairy operations, the training priorities for RBK staff are centered around Milking Management and Housing Management, which have been identified as particularly important areas. Concerning the challenges encountered by RBK staff, the most significant constraint identified is the insufficiency of equipment, infrastructure, and essential resources. This is followed by the difficulty of effectively managing multiple schemes simultaneously and coping with a heavy workload, along with a high frequency of monthly meetings.

Climate Change is Affecting the Farmers of Agriculture in Karnataka State

The agricultural sector in Karnataka is suffering due to climate change. Farmers have had to adapt to rapidly changing climatic conditions, and the study's findings indicate that farmers' output, rising temperatures, and India's unpredictable and low rainfall are all consistent with climate data. Farmers in Karnataka have routinely and frequently implemented comprehensive adaptation strategies. Agriculture often uses interpretative and utilitarian resources, labor, and crop practices. Climate change might modify rainfall or temperature in Indian land areas, which can have an impact, on cropping practices. However, as farmers' adaptation strategies are a direct outcome of climate change in their output, the study highlights the need for more investment in the Indian agricultural sector as well as, in enhancing farmers' ability to produce. A successful policy must be developed in response to the farmers' shifting climatic circumstances and the outcomes they produce.

Cereal drought adaptation strategies

Water stress prevents all cropping systems from reaching their production potential. This stress is likely to be amplified by increased climate variability. Cereals, food crops and staple foods for most of the world's population are significantly affected by drought. By 2050, grain production must increase by about 70% to meet global food needs. However, current studies of adaptive strategies to mitigate the effects of water stress remain limited. Varietal adaptation and the development of new ones, as well as the adoption of appropriate cropping practices, are among the solutions being considered. To reinforce and support these approaches, new ecological and natural methods, including the use of biostimulants, could be adopted for efficient management of production systems and to limit yield losses under stress conditions. In this context, this review focuses on the main cereal adaptation strategies to drought.

Effect of Mulching and Tillage Practices on Yield & Yield Attributs of Sorghum

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of mulching and tillage practices on yield & yield attributs of sorghum at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Andhra Pradesh during 2020-21 & 2021-22 Kharif seasons. Mulching, Tillage practices and their interaction showed no significant influence on growth parameters viz., plant height and dry matter production at harvest, days to 50 % population. Whereas, panicle weight, panicle length, grain yield, straw yield and harvest index were significantly higher with zero tillage and with residue mulch. The interaction between tillage and mulch practices was non significant. Maximum gross and net returns were observed with zero tillage with residue mulch practice in grain sorghum. The economic evaluation of mulching and tillage practices in sorghum crop revealed that maximum gross returns (Rs 1,18,659), net returns (Rs 78,579) and B:C ratio (2.96) were obtained with zero tillage practice with mulching practice. The study indicated that tillage and mulching had significant effect on soil fertility and grain yield of sorghum crop.

Impacts of Intra-Seasonal Rainfall Variability and Cropping Practices on Cereal Yields in Sub-Saharan Africa

Impacts of Intra-Seasonal Rainfall Variability and Cropping Practices on Cereal Yields in Sub-Saharan Africa

Long‐term organic farming and floral diversity promotes stability of bee communities in agroecosystems

Abstract Increasing bee diversity promotes pollination services on farms. Yet, given the high turnover in pollinator communities, without knowledge of how pollinator communities assemble, it is difficult to conserve or increase bee diversity. Thus, a mechanistic understanding of factors mediating pollinator community assembly could promote pollinator conservation measures. To assess the determinants of pollinator community assembly and structure, we surveyed bee communities and floral resources on 36 farms ranging from 0 to 43 years in organic production. We used niche‐based and stochastic species abundance models to characterise the mechanisms driving community assembly, and an additive partition of beta diversity to evaluate resource and species turnover (i.e. community structure). We then used statistical models to assess whether resource turnover or time in organic production altered community assembly and beta diversity, and a jackknife analysis to assess the sensitivity of top models to resource and species identity. We show that bee communities on farms that practiced organic methods for longer assembled by niche‐based rather than stochastic processes and had less turnover in bee species across years. Because our model of niche‐based processes assumes resource use, these results indicate bee communities reflect underlying species‐specific resource preferences (e.g. floral and/or nesting resources) and that longer periods of organic management reduced dissimilarity mediated by species replacement. Our jackknife approach then examined the role of species identity effects in beta diversity, showing changes in floral resources increased dissimilarity driven by bee species loss, but only in landscapes simplified by urbanisation. This jackknife analysis then indicated that landscape resource replacement which was not driven by particular landscape classes, mediated bee species replacement wherein dissimilarity was driven by a generalist native bee, suggesting bee life history (e.g. flexibility in resource use) and landscape complementarity, rather than identity, underlie patterns identified using the beta diversity equations. Our results show bee communities assemble by niche‐based processes, evidenced by collinearity in resource and bee species turnover. Because niche‐based assembly indicates ecosystem health, farmers who adopt crop diversification and practice organic methods for longer may promote pollinator diversity and stability leading to improved pollination in farms. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Influence of cover crops and tillage on organic carbon loss in Mediterranean olive orchards

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the main crops in the Mediterranean area, with Spain leading its production. The majority of the plantations are on rainfed land, poor soils with steep slopes. Regarding to soil, tillage (T) is the main management system used by farmers. Consequently, erosion and the resulting soil organic carbon (SOC) losses associated to it are one of the main environmental problems of olive production. Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in permanent crops comprise the sowing of groundcovers or cover crops (CC) between the rows of olive trees. CC protect the olive orchard from erosion, preventing soil degradation. However, the relationship between the erosion and SOC losses under CC and T need to be better understood. In a four-year period (2003–2007) water, soil and SOC losses by erosion were measured in micro-plots (1 ×1 m2) that were managed with T and CC in eight study zones in Andalusia (Southern Spain). At the same time, the characteristics of all rainfall events during the study period were registered, and soil cover was estimated from images taken during the field campaigns. SOC output was observed to be statistically positively correlated to runoff and erosion. The loss of water, SOC and sediment were mainly affected by the characteristics of the rainfall events and soil cover. The type of soil or the typology of the olive grove plantation were not so important for the loss of SOC under conservation agriculture management. However, these facts were especially significant for the T conditions. Conversely to T, where only 22.4 % of soil was protected, CC provided a 65.7 % cover throughout the season. This better protection of the soil provided by the CC, resulted in a lower influence of the rainfall events in the loss of water, soil and SOC. This was not the case in the T systems. The conservation management was responsible for a 36.7 % average reduction in runoff and an 85.5 % reduction in erosion compared to T, which decreased SOC loss associated with sediment by 76.4 %.

Baseline Survey on Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Production in Southern Taraba State

A baseline survey was carried out to assess sorghum production practices namely; years of production, cropping system, hectarages cultivated, identification of important pests, diseases and weed species infesting the crop and other cultural practices measures used by the farmers during sorghum cultivation in Taraba state. The study aimed at gathering information on the production status of sorghum in the state. Questionnaires were administered to 12 farmers carefully selected in 5 wards from each of the 5 Local Government areas sampled. This gave a total of 300 farmers. The survey shows that most of the farmers cultivate less than 3 ha of sorghum usually intercropped with maize or millet and most recently with groundnut. Striga hermonthica was identified to be the most destructive weed and one of the major limiting factor to sorghum production in the study area. It was also observed that most of the farmers produced sorghum without application of fertilizer and pesticide generally. In conclusion, there is urgent need to sensitize farmers in this part of the country on the need for the use of proper pesticides to control pests and diseases in sorghum, application of organic and inorganic fertilizers alongside the incorporation of crop residues to improve soil fertility for higher yield of sorghum in this survey area. Also there is need to sensitize them on the practice of cereal-legumes intercrop for sustainable crop production, instead of the commonly practiced cereal-cereal intercrop system. Moreso research effort on finding solutions to the challenges of striga hermonthica in sorghum is strongly advocated in the state. This will encourage the farmers to cultivate more hectarages of sorghum, to burst food security in the state

HSI combined with CNN model detection of heavy metal Cu stress levels in apple rootstocks

In recent years, the prolonged application of copper-based fungicides, ripening agents, and fertilizers in agricultural activities has resulted in copper (Cu) levels in the soil exceeding safe levels. Excess Cu has a negative impact on plant growth and crop yields. The practice of grafting horticultural crops onto appropriate rootstocks is frequently employed as a preventive measure against copper accumulation and its associated toxicity. Therefore, the selection of high-quality rootstocks that are not contaminated with heavy metal Cu is important for the growth of grafted crops and the breeding of grafted crops. This study proposed a technique based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for the rapid, non-destructive, and accurate identification of copper contamination levels in apple rootstocks. The effect of different heavy metal Cu contamination levels on leaves was obtained by measuring chlorophyll content in leaves using the ultraviolet spectrophotometer method. A hybrid strategy for spectral variable selection was utilized, involving competitive adaptive reweighted sampling and successive projection algorithms. A traditional partial least squares discriminant analysis linear classification model, and least squares support vector machine, random forest, and extreme learning machine nonlinear models were developed. The results showed that the accuracy of the CNN model and Macro-F1 were 99.6% and 99.2%, respectively, which were better than the traditional linear and nonlinear models. Principal component analysis and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding were used for visual analysis to investigate the clustering patterns among sample classes. The results indicated that the combination of CNN and HSI techniques has great potential for classifying copper contamination levels in apple rootstocks.

The Impact of Persian Clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.) on Soil Health

Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum) is an exception as it is a promising legume species due to its adaptation to environmental stress and waterlogged soil. Soil health indicator link to environment services such as nutrient management, crop practices, and biodiversity. The main comparisons in this study were conducted between annual covers (Corn and sorghum), and two grass cultivars (Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus junceus) that are native to East Asia, while tillage system and fertilization legume Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum), were also applied in the analysis. The regression analysis revealed improved soil carbon was consistently associated with greater moisture, soil aggregate stability (WAS), and carbon mineralization under legume covers. While grasses and legume recorded sequestering more carbon, corn and corn-sorghum in rotation crops showed the worse impact on soil pH and bulk density (BD). Non-tillage practices significantly increased soil aggregate stability and soil moisture under grasses and legume. The combination of total carbon (TC) field measurements with cropping systems information has improved our understanding of how different cropping practices influence soil health improvement in full profile. The main factor for clustering treatments based on indicators was fertilization and tilling operation according to Euclidean distance that was applied to measure similarity of the groups. It can develop appropriate and cost-effective agricultural management activities, maintains or improves carbon soil accumulation to guide farmer decision making and ultimately advancing food and nutritional security.

A follow‐up survey to assess stakeholders’ perspectives on weed management challenges and current practices in Nebraska, USA

AbstractStakeholders across the state of Nebraska, USA, were surveyed in 2019–2020 to assess problem weeds and weed management practices in agronomic crops. A total of 420 complete responses were obtained across four Nebraska districts (Northeast, Panhandle, Southeast, and West Central). Accumulated across the state, 65.5% of farmed or scouted crop ground in Nebraska was under no‐till production, with the major crops being corn and soybean representing 39.3% and 30.7% of agronomic crop production area, respectively. Palmer amaranth, horseweed, waterhemp, kochia, and giant ragweed were ranked the most problematic weeds. In a 2014–2015 survey, Palmer amaranth was the sixth most problematic weed. The most used preplant herbicides were 2,4‐D, glyphosate, and dicamba in the 2019–2020 survey. Atrazine applied alone or in mixture with acetochlor, bicyclopyrone, clopyralid, mesotrione, or S‐metolachlor were the most applied pre‐emergence (PRE) herbicides in corn, whereas the most applied PRE herbicides in soybean were metribuzin/sulfentrazone, flumioxazin/pyroxasulfone, and chloransulam‐methyl/sulfentrazone. Like the previous survey, glyphosate was the most frequent choice of survey respondents as a post‐emergence (POST) herbicide in glyphosate‐resistant corn and soybean, while 2,4‐D was the most applied POST herbicide in grain sorghum and wheat. Most of the respondents (77%) were aware of the new multiple herbicide‐resistant crops, and 86% listed physical drift and volatility of dicamba/2,4‐D as a primary concern. Twenty‐three percent of survey respondents identified integrated pest management as a primary research and extension priority for profitable agronomic crop production in Nebraska.

An Appraisal of Technological Interventions on Mustard Crop under Cluster Front Line Demonstrations

Aims: To boost production and profitability, The current study's evaluation of technical interventions focused on a cluster front line demonstration on mustard crop, which was carried out in the KVK's operational territory in district Bhadohi of Uttar Pradesh.
 Study Design: Yield gap analysis under cluster front line demonstration.
 Place and Duration of Study: The present study was conducted by ICAR-IIVR - Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhadohi on mustard at farmer’s field in different blocks of Bhadohi district under cluster front line demonstration during the period 2016-17 to 2020-21.
 Methodology: From 2016-17 through 2020-21, 374 demonstrations were carried out on farmer fields totaling 153 hectares under cluster front line demonstration, with farmer practice acting as the comparison control. KVK scientists collected yield, production expenses, and return data from farmers' practice plots (control plots) and front-line demonstration plots. Finally, the extension gap, technology gap, and technology index were calculated using the methods describe in Samui et al. [1].
 Results: The five-year study's findings show that the demonstration plots' average annual yield was 24.20 q/ha in compared to the traditional agricultural plots' average annual yield of 17.26 q/ha. This higher yield of 4.85 q/ha and the 40.12% rise in mustard productivity over the previous five years may be enough to meet the state's current needs for oilseeds. The five-year averages for the technology gap, extension gap, and technology index were found to be 5.8 q/ha, 6.8 q/ha, and 19.35%, respectively. The finding unequivocally shows that CFLDs have advantages over conventional practices. The technology gap, extension gap, and technology index five-year averages were determined to be 5.8 q/ha, 6.8 q/ha, and 19.35%, respectively. Under the demonstration plot, the Benefit Cost Ratio was shown to be greatest (3.0) during the study year 2017-18 and lowest (2.24) during the study year 2019-20, but it averaged 2.65 during the five-year study period. As a result, positive benefit-cost ratios established the economic sustainability of the interventions and persuaded farmers in the Uttar Pradesh area of Bhadohi of their worth.
 Conclusion: According to the findings of the five-year study, the demonstration plots' pooled five-year average production was 24.20 q/ha as opposed to the traditional farmer practices plots' 17.26 q/ha. This enhanced yield of 4.85 q/ha and the 40.12% rise in mustard productivity over the previous five years, may be helpful meet to the state's current needs for oilseeds. The finding unequivocally shows that CFLDs have advantages over conventional practices. During the years of investigation, it was shown that the benefit-cost ratio was higher when agricultural practices were demonstrated. According to the result it is concluded that the yield and net profit may be increase using HYV RH-749 with the recommended packages of practices in mustard crop.

Drought: Profile Assessment, Impact Analysis and Coping Strategies to Combat Drought in Naogaon District of Bangladesh

This article tends to analyse the drought scenario of the Naogaon district in Bangladesh through groundwater potential zone modelling. The study’s findings illustrate that the maximum area covers a moderately potential groundwater zone. The study data also portrays various threats, including food insecurity and economic, social and environmental risks that were noticed as a consequence of the severe drought. The findings from the data indicate that the Porsha and Sapahar upazillas (sub-districts) of Naogaon district are more vulnerable zones in terms of drought. It is noteworthy that the people have been using indigenous knowledge to combat drought hazards. Local people are using crop calendars, agronomic management, water harvesting practices for less water-consuming crops and changes in occupation to manage the risks of drought in the study region.