Punjab Agriculture Research Articles

Assessing Groundwater Use Efficiency and Productivity across Punjab Agriculture: District and Farm Size Perspectives

While previous studies have focused on the technical aspects of groundwater extraction and optimal cropping patterns, there is a notable lack of research on the socio-economic factors affecting groundwater access and agricultural productivity, especially at a micro-level in Punjab, India. This study, therefore, investigates the water use efficiency (WUE) and economic water productivity (EWP) of paddy and wheat crops across diverse farm sizes and districts in Punjab, offering critical insights into agricultural water management. The study is based on primary data from Punjab, India, with Sangrur, Jalandhar, Pathankot, and Bathinda districts selected for groundwater profile analysis via multistage random sampling of 246 farmers. Notably, Punjab exhibits high EWP for wheat, surpassing the national average. However, disparities exist across districts, emphasizing the importance of localized interventions. Larger farms consistently demonstrate higher WUE and EWP, underlining the significance of scale in optimizing water inputs. Factors such as farm size, crop variety, and regional variations significantly influence WUE and EWP. Tailored approaches for marginal farmers and districts with lower efficiency are crucial for promoting sustainable agricultural practices. The findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to enhance water use efficiency and productivity in Punjab’s agriculture sector.

Impact of foliar spray of nano-Zn and nano-Cu on biochemical characteristics of guava cv. Allahabad Safeda

Foliar spraying of nanoparticles (NPs) improves the absorption of plant nutrient application compared to traditional soil–root application, and it also enhances the yield and quality of fruits. The present study aimed to evaluate the qualitative effects of foliar sprays of two concentrations of nano-zinc and nano-copper (40 ppm, 60 ppm; 20 ppm, 30 ppm respectively), in comparison to ZnSo4 (recommended by, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana) and control (foliar spray of water) on the guava crop (var. Allahabad Safeda). The experiment was conducted at Lovely Professional University Research farm, Phagwara, Jalandhar (Punjab) by applying a simple randomized block design, with ten treatments applied as T1: control, T2: nano-Zn1, T3: nano-Zn2, T4: nano-Cu1, T5: nano-Cu2, T6: nano-Zn1+ nano-Cu1, T7: nano-Zn1+ nano-Cu2, T8: nano-Zn2 + nano-Cu1, T9: nano-Zn2 + nano-Cu2, T10: ZnSO4 (PAU recommendation) in three replications. The treatments were sprayed two times, first at the flowering stage and second when the fruit reached pea size. The nutrient spray increases the concentration of nutrients in the leaves while also affecting the biochemical parameters. The performance for total soluble solids (9.89°B), total sugars (8.74%), titratable acidity (0.98%), antioxidants (7.49%), firmness (5.71kg/cm2), non-reducing sugars (3.32%), Vitamin-C (268.90mg/100g pulp), pectin content (2.13%), reducing sugars (5.46%), and TSS/acid ratio (10.06) was superior with the application of nano-Zn2 + nano-Cu2 (T9). The application of nano-micronutrients (zinc and copper) in combination is favorable for the quality of guava fruit (Allahabad Safeda).

Economic benefits of animal pollination to Punjab agriculture

Indian Punjab is gradually becoming the promised land of diversified farming with beekeeping as an important component, as farmers are looking for ways to get out of the paddy-wheat cycle. With this consideration, the present study estimated that the contribution of animal pollinators toward state agriculture. The economic value due to pollination service (EVP) was Rs 1391.2 crores forming about a 2 per cent share in the EV of output from state agriculture. Among the entomophilous crops, the insect pollination was essential for 2; great for 3; modest for 4 and of little importance to another 4 crops. About 42 per cent of the non-animal pollination-dependent crops accounted for a major share in the EV i.e. 97.87 per cent of the total agriculture output of the state. The share of cereals was the highest in the EV i.e. 86.79 per cent followed by vegetables (5.50%), fruits (5.32%), cotton (1.69%), sugarcane (0.35%), oilseeds (0.32%) and gram (0.01%) while based on dependence rate, the EVP was the highest in fruits (49.78%) followed by vegetables (21.49%), cotton (19.85%) and oilseeds (8.88%) and there existed no EVP for cereals and sugarcane and gram. The crops having great dependence on pollination contributed the maximum (Rs 741.13 crore) i.e. about 53 per cent to the EVP and about 1 per cent to the EV in the state agriculture. There is a strong need to realize the potential of this segment and formulate crop and commodity-specific strategies for optimum utilization of animal pollination inputs followed by crop diversification to high-value commodities. Punjab agriculture faces challenges on the production front and increased production cost needs such as “micro concepts” with “macro-economic” impacts.

Quantifying the energy use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions in Punjab (India) agriculture

It is inevitable to acknowledge the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE)’s primary role in the planet's rising temperatures, which poses threat to ecosystem's sustainability. In India, a 18% of the total GHGE comes from agriculture. Agricultural systems, being complex, need highly efficient energy usage to ensure better yields, and hence, farmer income and food security. Within India, Punjab is the state with greatest agro-economic impact. Therefore, present study is an attempt to quantify the GHGE and energy use efficiency (EUE) in major crops (cotton, maize, paddy, wheat, and sugarcane) of Punjab based on 2019–2020 data. Results revealed that the direct energy and non-renewable energy contribution significantly exceeded the indirect energy and renewable energy, in all crops except sugarcane. Electricity and fertilizers were noted as key areas for energy sink for all crops studied. The specific energy based on economic yield was realized to be significantly higher in cotton (10.23 MJ Kg−1), followed by paddy (5.28 MJ Kg−1), and less than 5 MJ Kg−1 for other crops. High energy intensity indicates that there exists a better potential for further improvement in the energy productivity of cropping systems. In terms of total input-output energy, net energy gain and EUE, sugarcane was noted to be at the top, followed by paddy among other seasonal crops. Paddy was found to emit the highest CO2 eq. emissions (6718 kg CO2 eq. ha−1) of all crops and around 60% was contributed solely by methane (CH4) due to paddy cultivation in submerged water. Thus, optimizing fertilizer rates, precisely guided irrigation systems, adoption of resource conservation technologies (RCTs) i.e., DSR, Laser leveling, minimizing crop residue burning, and using them for energy supply are among best possible alternatives for improving EUE and reducing GHGE.

Biologically synthesised urea-based nanomaterial shows enhanced agronomic benefits in maize and rice crops during Kharif season

The use of nanoparticles as plant nutrient supplementing source serves as an advanced and sustainable solution to significantly reduce the standard application dosages of conventional fertilisers while simultaneously enhancing the crop health and yield. This would lead to the overall minimization of carbon footprint generated from agriculture. Adequate supply of macronutrients like nitrogen is a key determinant for the crop productivity. Urea is the most favoured conventional nitrogen fertilizer used by farmers across the globe, however, it has low nutrient use efficiency, and more than half of the applied volume gets dissipated in the various environmental pockets. Urea nanoparticles (TNU) developed by using a precise bio-fermentation method has been evaluated in this study as a Nitrogen supplement to urea when the recommended dosage of urea is reduced by 25 and 50%. The prominent maize-rice cropping system during Kharif season of agriculture in India was investigated. Ten treatments having various combinations of conventional and nano nitrogen sources were laid out under the randomised complete block design (RCBD) in the fields of Punjab Agriculture University, India. In various treatments, TNU was applied through foliar applications and seed dressing. From the results, it was observed that the fertilising treatment having the combination of 75% dose of the conventional fertiliser in addition with TNU applications as the supplementary nitrogen source, outperformed the other treatments in terms of growth, yield and cost to benefit parameters in case of both maize and rice crops. The outcomes of the study showed that the biologically developed urea nanoparticles can safely reduce a minimum of 25% of the recommended dose of the conventional urea fertilizer, which may be introduced as a more sustainable and economical agricultural practice.

Pre and Post Water Level Behaviour in Punjab: Impact Analysis with DiD Approach

Punjab Agriculture is trapped in the complex nexus of groundwater depletion and food insecurity. The policymakers are concerned about reducing groundwater extraction at any cost for irrigation without jeopardizing food security. In this regard, the Government of Punjab introduced the “Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009”. The present paper examines the impact of the “Preservation of Sub Soil Water Act, 2009” on pre- and post-water levels in Punjab using the difference-in-difference (DiD) approach. The state has witnessed a severe fall of 0.50 m per year and 0.43 m per year for the post-monsoon and pre-monsoon season, respectively. Only 2.62 per cent of wells were in the range of 20–40 m depth in the state in 1996, which increased to 42 per cent and 67 per cent in 2018 for the pre-monsoon period, and post monsoon period respectively, depicting an increase of 25 times. The groundwater depth in high rice-growing(treated) districts declined by 1.53 and 1.39 m than the low rice-growing (control) districts in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods respectively post the enactment of PPSW Act, 2009. A groundwater governance framework is urgently needed to manage the existing and future challenges connected with the groundwater resource.

Exploring Factors Impacting Organizational Adaptation Capacity of Punjab Agriculture & Meat Company (PAMCO)

Background: Worldwide organizations face various risks, and the key to sustainability is adaptive capacity linked to resilience. The study is part of the Ph.D. thesis for the capacity assessment of PAMCO under environmental factors. PAMCO, a government entity, is mandated to establish modern Halal meat processing & value addition facilities under the global quality compliance regime and institute a service delivery platform to promote commercial meat production, processing, value addition, and marketing mechanism. Aim: This study explored factors influencing PAMCO’s adaptation capacity to respond to disruptions. Methods: A study on PAMCO’s organizational resilience has been performed using a mixed-method approach. The corporate and financial records of the organizations have been reviewed critically, and the issues highlighted have been discussed with the senior management to finalize the findings. Sample: Thirty respondents were selected using the non-probabilistic purposive sampling method comprising management officials from different cadres.Results: The results display that several variables positively impact adaptation capacity directly and indirectly through mediation and serial mediation. The hypotheses’ results supported the hypothesized model. Conclusion:The study highlighted the importance of leadership and vision sharing along with the need for establishing a risk management culture within the organization, where risk management is seen as a shared responsibility in developing the organization’s adaptive capacity.

Preface

We are delighted to welcome you to the 2021 International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Biosystem (ICSAB 2021) at Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia. This conference is organized by Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Andalas University in collaboration with Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, and supported by University of Ehime University, Japan; Universiti Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesian; Universiti Technology Brunei, Brunei, and Punjab Agriculture University, India.ICSAB 2021 is the four conference held by the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Andalas University. The theme of the conference this year is “Toward Sustainable Agricultural and Biosystem in a Pandemic”. Although this conference is carried out when the world faced the Covid-19 Pandemic, however, It did not reduce the enthusiasm of researchers to participate in this event. Through this, we are proud to provide an appropriate platform for discussion and information transfer of current research, new technological innovation, and practical applications in disciplines relating to sustainable agriculture.132 papers will be presented orally and through poster presentations during this conference. The schedule for oral presentations and abstracts for all presentations are printed in this booklet. Selected full papers presented during the conference are being prepared to be published in IOP Proceeding and selected paper in the Open Agriculture Journal.The insight and hard work of both the technical and organizing committees have made this conference possible. Each member of the committee made a significant contribution toward the success of the event, and we thank everybody for their valuable support. Finally, on behalf of the conference advisory board and organizing committee, I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Rector of Andalas University, all the participants, colleagues, keynote speakers, as well as UiTM for their indispensable support in organizing this scientific meeting.List of Preface of ICSAB 2021, Organizing Committee are available in this pdf.

Trends in Energy Use in Punjab Agriculture

Trends in Energy Use in Punjab Agriculture

Constraints in Adoption of In-situ Paddy Straw Management Technologies in Punjab Agriculture

Constraints in Adoption of In-situ Paddy Straw Management Technologies in Punjab Agriculture

Mapping agricultural vulnerability to impacts of climate events of Punjab, Pakistan

Pakistan has an agriculture-dependent economy vulnerable to climate impacts. Within Pakistan, Punjab province is a leading regional producer of food and cash crops, and an exporter of agricultural commodities of significance in South Asia. Punjab agriculture provides livelihoods for agriculture-dependent communities living in one of the most populous countries of the world and these will be disrupted under incremental climate changes (e.g. rising temperatures) and the impacts of extreme climate events (such as droughts and floods). Climate impact assessments and mapping are widely accepted initial approaches to address climate change as they have the potential to facilitate bottom-up adaptation. However, to date, policy responses in Pakistan have tended to be top-down, driven by national adaptation planning processes. This paper assesses agricultural vulnerability to impacts of climate events at the district scale for Punjab province by developing maps of the individual components of vulnerability, i.e. exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. An indicator-based approach using a composite index method was adopted for the assessment. The mapping separated and categorised districts in Punjab based on their vulnerability to climate change and revealed spatial patterns and factors influencing district-level vulnerability. These geospatial variations in vulnerability illustrate the need for a nuanced policy on adaptation that recognises the importance of local biophysical and socio-economic context to build adaptive capacity for vulnerable regions rather than the current concentration on broad-scale top-down action embedded in National Adaptation Plans.

Forecasting and Growth Trends of Oilseed Crops in Punjab

The present study highlighted the future trends and growth of area, production and productivity of major oilseed crops in Punjab and found ways to make the state compete with other major producing states of the country. The area under oilseed crops in the state declined from 155 to 40 thousand hectares during 1950-51 to 2019-20. During the stages of development, Punjab agriculture has witnessed changes in its land use and cropping pattern under the influence of market forces. There was an increase in the area under wheat and paddy crops due to the introduction of their high yielding varieties and assured prices in the market. Consequently, oilseeds like groundnut, rapeseed and mustard, and sesamum which were important crops earlier, lost their significance in the cropping pattern of the state due to fall in their areas over time.

Groundwater use and sustainability in Punjab Agriculture: Insights from a field survey

Paddy is a water-intensive crop, and its cultivation is the prime cause of the depletion of groundwater resources in Punjab. We survey paddy farmers’ crop choices, water use, and opinions on the causes of the depletion of groundwater resources. To make long-term groundwater use sustainable, farmers can adopt water saving technologies and practices and diversify crops. But adoption is abysmal, and diversification into alternative crops entails high production and marketing risks. To improve adoption, the government must promote water saving technologies and practices. And assured marketing at remunerative prices is a prerequisite for crop diversification.

Extraction and Identification of Active Components from Herbs for their Application for Prevention of Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological endocrine disorder that causes reproductive and metabolic disturbances. PCOS is more common in females who have obesity and it can also be a genetic disorder in some females. During a study on teen age 17-19 years aged girls in Thailand, the prevalence rate of PCOS syndrome was 5.29 %. While, the studies in Iran had shown the prevalence rate to be 8.3% to 11.4% (Naz et al, 2019). PCOS can be treated by allopathic medicines but they have number of side effects in women like acne and menstrual irregularity. Therefore, in this study an alternative solution has been taken to prevent PCOS by the application of herbs. In this study, 7 samples of herbs were considered. Sample of Cinnamon (dalchini) was collected from a field of Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana; Curcuma longa (turmeric), Mentha piperita (pippermint) and Allium sativum (garlic) were taken from Gurudwara Bhora Sahib (Jagraon); Ocimum sanctum (tulsi), Azadirachta indica (neem) and Casearia esculanta (saptrangi) were collected from Farm house of CT university campus (Mullanpur). These samples were dried for 48 hours at temperature 38˚C. The process of solvent extraction was used to extract the active components. To identify the extracted constituents from herbs, thin layer chromatography (TLC) was done. Some biochemical tests were performed, to confirm the presence of the identified components. From these 7 samples the active components that were successfully identified were cinnamaldehyde, allicin, estradiol and diterpenoids, alkaloids and flavonoids. These components will be further used for the preparation of herbal medicine against

Assessment of Productivity and Crop Diversification Pattern in Punjab Agriculture

This study examines the structure of agriculture productivity and crop diversification across different zones in Punjab, India during 1966–1967 to 2017–2018. The composite entropy index shows that almost all zones are specialised in few crops but some of them are relatively less or some are more. Hence, we found zones are experiencing a lateral movement toward crop specialisation and crop diversification is not happening. Further, results reveals that accessibility of market and roadhave a positive influenced the level of crop diversification are accessibility of market, roads have found a positive influenced on crop diversification. Whereas more use of fertiliser, intensity of irrigation and rainfall have leads to concentration rather than crop diversification. Similarly, study also analysed the factors that are responsible of variation in productivity by regional factors such as better road, fertiliser, urbanisation, literacy and cropping intensity. As the analysis indicates that there is need to emphasise on agro-climatic regional preparation by clearly identifying the existing resource endowments and constraints of the agro-climatically homogeneous regions. JEL: C23,Q10, Q19

Farmer's Perception regarding On-farm Water Conservation in Punjab Agriculture

The present paper aimed to explore the farmer's perception regarding on-farm water conservation in Punjab agriculture and outline the critical factors affecting the knowledge and adoption of on-farm water conservation techniques. The study was conducted in Moga, Rupnagar and Sri Muktsar Sahib districts selected randomly representing three agro-climatic zones of Punjab. The study revealed that most of the respondents were literate with farming experience of more than 15 years. The regression analysis applied on the knowledge index, and adoption index concluded that by enhancing the education level, mass media exposure, extension contacts, participation in extension activities, and farming experience, the knowledge level regarding the new technologies may improve, resulted in the effective adoption of that particular technology. It will also help to reduce future constraints in the adoption of the technologies and for increasing the income level of the farmers by decreasing the cost of production.

A Temporal Analysis of Diversification of Punjab Agriculture: The Role of Policy and Practice

Punjab's agrarian economy witnessed structural transformations under the influence of various policies and practices followed after that. The study attempted to bring out temporal changes in cropping patterns over a period of time and identify various factors responsible for the change. The study brought out that the cropping pattern had mainly shifted in favour of wheat and paddy crops, although the productivity of crops such as maize, cotton, and pulses increased over a period of time. The decline in crop diversification was primarily influenced by the increasing contribution of area and yield effects of land to the total production of crops, especially for wheat and rice crops. The study concluded that diversification could only be brought in the state

India’s Agricultural Market Acts of 2020: Implications for (small) farmers with special reference to Punjab

Agricultural markets are key to ensuring higher farmer incomes, but in India, agricultural market reforms have been stuck for almost two decades as agriculture is a state subject. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare (MoAFW) framed two new Acts on agricultural produce wholesale markets and contract farming (besides amending the Essential Commodities Act, 1955) in 2020 to allow and encourage new market channels in terms of buying from or working directly with farmers. These were parallel to state governments changing their APMC Acts, following the Model APMC Acts suggested by the Union MoAFW. This paper assesses the rationale and benefits of the 2020 Acts, and their implications for farmers and other stakeholders. It also examines the major provisions of the new Acts, i.e. APMC mandi bypass Act, 2020, which creates a new trade area outside the purview of the APMCs, and the Contract Farming Act, 2020, besides the amendments to these Union Acts by the state government of Punjab (2020), as informed by research studies on various marketing channels used by farmers and their experience of the same. The paper highlights some major lacunae of the 2020 Acts, in the context of Punjab agriculture, and examines the utility of the Punjab’s amendments to the Central Acts. The paper highlights the need for legal provisions to protect smallholder interests and leverage new channels for their development.

Punjab agriculture in the post green revolution era: Perceptions and a reality check

Punjab agriculture in the post green revolution era: Perceptions and a reality check

Determining the Factors Affecting Investment in Punjab Agriculture

Investment is the expenditure incurred for real capital formation. A sample of 150 farmers was taken with 23 (15.3%), 28 (18.7%), 46 (30.7%), 43 (28.67%) and 10 (6.7%) farmers selected from marginal, small, semi-medium, medium and large farm size categories respectively in proportion to the share of respective category in total farmers in Punjab. Income, consumption, funds available post-consumption and investment level of the respondent farmers was worked out to find the factors that affect farm investment. Information related to education level, family type, cropping pattern and credit availability was also collected to see if they affect the level of investment. Income, consumption and funds available post-consumption were higher for larger farm households. The level of investment was higher on large farms but the investment per hectare was highest on marginal farms. The availability of credit was more on larger farms but per cent share of credit in investment decreased as the farm size increased as large farmers were using owned funds extensively. The regression analysis revealed that the size of the operational holdings, saving and the credit availability showed positive relation with the level of investment while the education level, family type and cropping intensity were non-significant.