Vertisols Of Semi-arid Tropics Research Articles

Improving grain quality and nitrogen use efficiency of cereal-based cropping systems on vertisols in semi-arid tropics

ContextSemi-arid tropics is facing serious issues of malnutrition in population owing to poor quality of food grain production. Malnutrition is directly linked to lower grain protein and zinc yield due to inappropriate land and water, and nutrient management practices, which also resulted into reduced nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals. ObjectiveThe objectives of the study were to evaluate the effect of land and water and nutrient management on grain protein and zinc yield, and NUE of cereal-based cropping systems on vertisols soils in semi-arid tropics. MethodsThe study was carried out at Hyderabad in India during 2014–15 and 2015–16 and involved three cropping systems (two rotation systems: sorghum-chickpea and maize-groundnut; and one intercropping: pearl millet + pigeonpea), two land and water management i.e. flatbed and broad bed furrows and four nutrient management-N1: Control (no fertilizer), N2: 100% recommended application of macronutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) through chemical fertilizer, N3: N2 + 100% recommended application of secondary nutrient (sulphur) and micronutrient (zinc and boron) through chemical fertilizer, and N4 (integrated nutrient): 50% of N2 + 50% nitrogen in cereals or phosphorus in legumes through organic fertilizer as vermicompost. ResultsIn sorghum-chickpea rotation system, the treatment interaction broad bed furrows with 100% recommended application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient and micronutrient recorded significantly higher grain zinc yield in both the years, while grain protein yield was significantly higher in second year. The grain protein and zinc yield in sorghum-chickpea rotation system, and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency in pearl millet+pigeonpea intercropping system was significantly higher in broad bed furrows than flatbed. The agronomic NUE of broad bed furrows was higher by 61% in 2014–15 and 65% in 2015–16 over flatbed. Among the nutrient management treatments, grain protein and zinc yield, and agronomic NUE were significantly higher in combined application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient, and micronutrients through chemical fertilizer i.e. N3 followed by N4, N2 and N1. ConclusionThe broad bed furrows and application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient and micronutrient could be an effective integrated land and water and nutrient management approach to improve grain quality and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of cereal-based cropping systems in semi-arid tropics. ImplicationsThis study contributed to develop integrated land and water and nutrient management as an innovative agronomic management practice for cereal-based cropping systems, which needs to scale-up through Government agricultural policies to overcome the issue of malnutrition in population living in semi-arid tropics.

Assessment of Planting Method and Deficit Irrigation Impacts on Physio-Morphology, Grain Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize (Zea mays L.) on Vertisols of Semi-Arid Tropics.

Agriculture in a water-limited environment is critically important for today and for the future. This research evaluates the impact of deficit irrigation in different planting methods on the physio-morphological traits, grain yield and WUE of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was carried out in 2015 and 2016, consisting of three planting methods (i.e., BBF, SNF, and DWF) and four irrigation levels (i.e., I10D: irrigation once in ten days, I40: irrigation at 40% DASM, I50: irrigation at 50% DASM, and I60: irrigation at 60% DASM). The results reveal that varying degrees of water stress due to planting methods and irrigation levels greatly influenced the maize physio-morphological traits and yield attributes. The combined effect of DWF + I50 benefited the maize in terms of higher leaf area, RWC, SPAD values, CGR, and LAD, followed by the SNF method at 60 DAS. As a result, DWF + I50 and SNF + I50 had higher 100 grain weight (30.5 to 31.8 g), cob weight (181.4 to 189.6 g cob−1) and grain yield (35.3% to 36.4%) compared to other treatments. However, the reduction in the number of irrigations (24.0%) under SNF + I50 resulted in a 34% water saving. Thus, under a water-limited situation in semi-arid tropics, the practice of the SNF method + I50 could be an alternative way to explore the physio-morphological benefits in maize.

Soil water conservation and yield of winter sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) as influenced by tillage, organic materials and nitrogen fertilizer in semi-arid tropical India

Soil water and nutrients play an important role in increasing sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) yields in the Vertisols of semi-arid tropics during post-rainy season. The effects of tillage practices, organic materials and nitrogen fertilizer on soil properties, water conservation and yield of sorghum were evaluated during winter seasons of 1994–1995 and 1995–1996 on deep Vertisols at Bijapur in the semi-arid tropics of Karnataka State (Zone 3) of south India. Conservation and availability of water and nutrients during different stages of crop growth were increased by deeper tillage resulting in increased grain yield of winter sorghum. Medium and deep tillage increased the grain yield by 23% (1509 kg ha −1) and 57% (1919 kg ha −1) during 1994–1995 and 14% (1562 kg ha −1) and 34% (1835 kg ha −1) during 1995–1996, respectively, over shallow tillage. Water use efficiency increased from shallow (4.90 kg ha −1 mm −1) to deep tillage (7.30 kg ha −1 mm −1). Greater water use efficiency during 1994–1995 as compared to 1995–1996 was attributed to lower consumptive use of water during 1994–1995. Among organic materials, application of Leucaena loppings conserved larger amounts of water and increased winter sorghum yield and water use efficiency. Application of Leucaena loppings increased the winter sorghum grain yield by 9% (mean of 1994–1995 and 1995–1996) as compared to vermicompost. Significantly ( P < 0.05) higher water use efficiency of 6.32 kg ha −1 mm −1 was observed in Leucaena loppings incorporated plots compared to 5.72 kg ha −1 mm −1 from vermicompost. Grain yield increased by 245 kg ha −1 with application of 25 kg N ha −1 in 1994–1995, and a further increase in N application to 50 kg ha −1 increased the grain yield by about 349 kg ha −1 in 1995–1996. Deep tillage with application of 25 kg N ha −1 resulted in significantly higher sorghum yield (2047 kg ha −1) than control during 1994–1995. Deep tillage with integrated nutrient management (organic and inorganic N sources) conserved higher amount of soil water and resulted in increased sorghum yields especially during drought years.

Effect of nutrients and moisture conservation practices on growth, yield and economics of sunflower (Heuanthus annuus L.) grown on rainfed vertisols in semiarid tropics

On-farm trials were conducted during 2001 and 2002 rainy seasons to evaluate the effects of nutrients and moisture conservation practices on the growth yield and economics of sunflower (Heltanthus annuus L) cultivars grown on vertisols of Raichur district. Karnataka, India, under rainfed conditions. Two-year results revealed that the recommended method of moisture conservation along with the recommended fertilizer practice gave significantly higher seed yield (994 kg/ha), net returns (Rs.l05O3/ha) and cost-benefit ratio (2.62) than the conventional method of moisture conservation and fertilizer practices. Also, the former method surpassed the latter in plant height, head size, stem thickness and 1000-seed weight. The hybrid KBSH-44 showed significantly favorable responses with respect to growth and yield components. It gave higher yield (993 kg/ha), net returns (Rs. 10222/ha) and cost-benefit ratio (2.84) than the hybrids KBSH-1 and MSFH-17 when grown on vertisols under rainfed conditions.

Nutrient availability and grain yield of winter sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) as influenced by tillage practices and integrated nutrient management in Vertisols of semi-arid tropics of India

A field experiment was conducted in Vertisols at Bijapur during 1994-96 to study the effect of tillage practices and integrated nutrient management on winter sorghum yield and soil nutrient availability. The increase in winter sorghum yield with deep tillage over medium and shallow tillage was 27 and 57% in 1994-95 as compared to 18 and 34% in 1995-96. Deep tillage resulted in 22 and 45% higher yield as compared to medium and shallow tillage in the pooled data. This was mainly due to conservation and increased availability of moisture and nutrients, i.e. N, P and K. The higher availability of nutrients in the topsoil (0-0.15 m) as compared to the subsoil (0.15-0.30 m) was due to the application of nutrients in the topsoil layer and the higher rate of mineralization. Among the organic materials applied, Leucaena loppings at 2.5 t ha-1 led to a significantly (9%) higher yield (1636 kg ha-1) over vermicompost (1500 kg ha-1) and was on par with farmyard manure (1572 kg ha-1) in the pooled data and during both years of the study. The higher percentage increase in grain yield with Leucaena application was due to the better moisture conservation and availability of major nutrients, i.e. N, P and K. Winter sorghum responded significantly to N application at 25 kg ha-1 in 1994-95, whereas in 1995-96 and in the pooled data the response varied up to 50 kg N ha-1. In the pooled data, the grain yield increased by 17 and 24% with the application of 25 and 50 kg N ha-1 compared with the control. The higher yields obtained with the application of nitrogen were due to the better availability of nutrients, especially N, as these soils are low in available N.

Comparative effectiveness of cattle manure, poultry manure, phosphocompost and fertilizer-NPK on three cropping systems in vertisols of semi-arid tropics. I. Crop yields and system performance

A field experiment was conducted on deep vertisols of Bhopal, India to evaluate the manural potential of three organic manures: farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), phosphocompost (PC) vis-a-vis 0%, 75% and 100% recommended dose of fertilizer-NPK and to find out the most productive cropping system at various combinations of organic manures and chemical fertilizers. The seed yield of intercrop soybean (population converted to 100%) was 8.7% less than sole soybean whereas the grain yield of intercrop sorghum was 9.5% more than that of sole sorghum. However, the productivity in terms of soybean equivalent yield (SEY) was relatively high in intercropping system. The increasing NPK dose from 0% to 100% significantly improved SEY in sole sorghum and soybean/sorghum intercropping system and the integrated use of organics and inorganics recorded significantly more SEY than inorganics. The effect of nutrient management followed the order; 75% NPK + 5 t FYM ha −1 > 75% NPK + 1.5 t PM ha −1 > 75% NPK + 5 t PC ha −1 > 100% NPK. Sorghum, both as sole and intercrop, responded more to PM while soybean to FYM. Application of 75% NPK in combination with PM or FYM or PC to preceding rainy season crops (soybean and sorghum) and 75% NPK to wheat produced significantly higher grain yield of wheat than those in inorganics and control indicating noticeable residual effect on the succeeding wheat crop and saving of 25% fertilizer-NPK. The effect of PC on rainy season crops was not as prominent as those of FYM and PM, but its residual effect on grain yield of wheat was comparable to those two organic manures. Among the cropping systems, soybean as preceding crop recorded the highest seed yield of wheat and was on a par with that of soybean/sorghum intercropping system. The yield of wheat following sorghum was the lowest. The total system productivity (TSP) was the highest in sorghum + soybean–wheat system and the lowest in the soybean–wheat system.

Comparative effectiveness of cattle manure, poultry manure, phosphocompost and fertilizer-NPK on three cropping systems in vertisols of semi-arid tropics. II. Dry matter yield, nodulation, chlorophyll content and enzyme activity

A field experiment was conducted on a deep Vertisol of Bhopal, India to compare root and shoot biomass, chlorophyll content, enzyme activity and nodulation in three cropping systems at three combinations of organic manure and inorganic-fertilizer: 75%NPK + 5 t farmyard manure (FYM), 75%NPK + 1.5 t poultry manure (PM), and 75%NPK + 5 t phosphocompost (PC) vis-a-vis 0%, 75% and 100% of fertilizer-NPK. In general, nodule number and its mass were lower in intercrop soybean than sole soybean. Also there was decrease in the nodule number with higher NPK dose. The FYM treated plots recorded 22.0% and 7.6% higher nodule mass than poultry manure and phosphocompost plots, respectively. Also, the total chlorophyll content was higher in organically treated plots than that in 100% NPK particularly at 30 days after sowing (DAS, pre-flowering). In sorghum the peak nitrate reductase (NR) activity was recorded at 60 DAS while in soybean it was at 30 DAS. The NR activity was higher in intercrop sorghum than that in sole sorghum. Maximum NR activity was observed in 100% NPK. Soybean/sorghum intercropping system recorded significantly higher root and shoot biomass than sole soybean and sorghum. The crop growth rates were relatively rapid during 30–60 DAS and followed the order; intercropping > sole sorghum > sole soybean. With the increase in NPK dose from 0% to 100% there was significant improvement in the dry matter (DM) production in sole sorghum and soybean/sorghum intercropping system. Soybean as preceding crop recorded the highest DM, chlorophyll content, NR activity in wheat while these values were the lowest in sorghum–wheat system.