Indian Agricultural Research Institute

POST GRADUATE SCHOOL

INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

NEW DELHI - 110012

OUTLINE OF RESEARCH WORK

1. Name of student : Mohammad Saber

2. Roll No- 20744 3. Date of enrolment : 03/08/2015
4. Discipline / Agronomy
5. M.Sc/Ph.D / M.Sc.
6. Major field / Crop husbandry
7. Minor field / Agricultural Statistics
8. Proposed Research Problem
(Title of thesis) / “Planting density and nitrogen scheduling studies in mustard under conservation agriculture based pearlmillet–mustard system”

9. Objectives:

Planting density and nitrogen scheduling studies in mustard under conservation agriculture based pearlmillet–mustard system

In India and Afghanistan dryland rainfed crop-livestock farming systems are fundamental to agricultural production and underpin food, nutrition and fodder security (Bana, 2014). India has made a considerable progress in irrigation development after independence, but still around 60% (80 million hectare) of the net cultivated area (141 million hectare) is rainfed. Almost similar story is there in Afghanistan. These rainfed drylands, particularly characterized by arid and semi-arid climatic zones, have either no irrigation facility or if irrigation facility exists, its availability is limited (Rana and Bana, 2012).The rainfed lands are also the areas that are prone to the ill-effects of climate change and experience hardships like drought and frequent crop failures (Bana et al. 2013). In fact, the rainfed regions are characterized by light texture, low organic carbon and low depth soils and low moisture, erratic rainfall, soil erosion and low use of fertilizer due to poor income levels and low productivity. These constraints leads to poor and unstable crop yields due to moisture stress during crop growing season (Rana et al., 2012).

Pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L. R.Br. emend Stuntz)–mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern and Coss) is an important cropping system of limited water and marginal land areas grown under improper crop establishment and imbalanced fertilization. This system covers an area of 9.37 lakh ha, and contributes about 3.5% of Indian food basket. In semi-arid states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh where mono-cropping of either pearlmillet or mustard was in practice, development in irrigation facilities has made it possible to grow the duo in sequence, under limited water availability conditions. Low requirement of water, inputs, labor and attractive market price of mustard are the other factor contributed in enhancement of the area in pearlmillet-mustard cropping system. Pearlmillet is part of staple diet for masses and also forms an important fodder source for livestock population in arid and semi-arid regions of India (Vetriventhan et al., 2008). It covers 7.1 million hectares area and producing nearly 9.1 million tonnes of grains. Mustard is cultivated in an area of 5.8 million hectare with total production of 6.3 million tons at an average productivity of 1089 kg/ha (Economic Survey, 2016).

The productivity of pearl millet–mustard system is far below their potential. The major causes of low and unstable yields are moisture scarcity to crop during growing season and improper nutrient management. As the moisture is the most limiting factor in the productivity of the two crops in the system, it is necessary to conserve soil moisture and storing it in the root zone is perhaps the most cost-effective means of increasing moisture availability to the plants and mitigating moisture stress. Conservation agriculture (CA), which consists of zero tillage, crop residue retention and adoption of suitable cropping systems, leads to reversal of process of land degradation when practiced continuously through significant reduction in runoff and soil loss (Castro et al., 1991) as well as improvement in soil physical, chemical and biological properties. CA practices (zero-tillage + mulching) are a viable approach to retain soil moisture and nutrients in the root zone under semi-arid dryland situations. Application of organic materials as mulch is considered poor conductor of heat to effectively reduce soil temperature, maintain soil moisture and improve fertility status of the soil (Vaidya et al., 1995).The major constraints to the use of CA in these regions include insufficient amounts of residues and degraded nature of soil resource poor smallholder farmers, lack of in-depth research in the rain fed regions besides several other bottlenecks.

However, the crop and livestock component of intensive farming systems of rainfed drylands compete for crop residues, as either soil cover or food resources. The stalk of mustard is mainly used as fuel for household needs. Therefore quantification of residue retention for soil moisture conservation and for livestock and their interactions needs to be studied, particularly under climate change situations. Due to less biomass productivity and competing uses of crop residues, the scope of using crop residues for conservation agriculture is limited in dry land ecosystems. Increase in seed rate significantly increased the plant density, plant height, green and dry matter yield and dry matter contents. So high seed rate is an alternative for improving fodder availability to the livestock vis-à-vis conservation agriculture. Since CA is new to the rainfed ecologies, therefore, proper nutrient management protocols/schedules under CA systems are yet to be developed (Sahrawat et al 2007). Keeping in above points in view an experiment is planned on Planting density and nitrogen scheduling studies in mustard under conservation agriculture based pearlmillet–mustard system with the following specific objectives:

1. To work out an optimum nitrogen management schedule for improving productivity and economics of mustard under CA based pearlmillet-mustard system;

2. To find out the alternative for improving fodder availability to the livestock vis-à-vis conservation agriculture;

3. To study the effect of different treatments on use-efficiencies of water and nitrogen in mustard.

10. Previous work done:

Crop residue mulch resulted in higher yield (2.06 t/ha) and water use efiiciency in pearlmillet (Sankar et al., 2001). Similarly, organic mulch recorded the highest grain and stover yield of pearlmillet at IARI New Delhi (Das and Gautam, 2003). An increase in grain and stover yield, nutrient uptake and protein content in pearlmillet with increasing levels of integrated use of manures and fertilizers on was reported by Vyas et al. (1994).

Application of 30 kg N and 20 kg P2O5/ha along with FYM @ 6 t/ha recorded higher yield (2.75 and 1.31 t ha-1) of pearlmillet and mustard, respectively as their residual effect. However, in mustard application of 60 kg N and 40 kg P2O5/ha resulted highest yield (1.30 t/ha), PEY (6.66 t/ha) and production efficiency (31.74 kg/ha/day). (Parihar et al. 2012). Crop residue mulch resulted in higher yield and water use efficiency in pearlmillet-mustard system (Bana et al, 2013-14). Similarly, organic mulch recorded the highest grain and stover yield of pearlmillet based systems at IARI New Delhi (Das and Gautam, 2003).

Application of 40 kg N/ha in zone A and 60-80 kg N/ha in zone B were found optimum under rainfed conditions. At IARI, the optimum dose of N for pearlmillet is 60 kg/ha under conventional tillage (Rana and Bana, 2012).

Under dryland conditions 30-50 kg N/ha is usually the optimum for mustard. The rate may be increased to 50-70 kg N/ha under assured rainfall conditions. Under irrigated conditions yield increases are reported up to 120 kg N/ha (Saran and Prasad, 2002). Residues act as reservoir for plant nutrients, prevent leaching of nutrients, increase cation exchange capacity (CEC), provide congenial environment for biological N fixation, increase microbial biomass and enhance activities of enzymes such as dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase. Increased microbial biomass can enhance nutrients availability in soil as well as act as sink and source of plant nutrients. Greater yields with residue application results from increased infiltration and improved soil properties, increased soil organic matter and earthworm activity and improved soil structure in 4-7 years from when the system is established

Most of the research work under conservation agriculture in South Asia is evaluated in rice-wheat cropping system and not much work has been done under pearlmillet-mustard system and other rainfed farming based cropping systems. Under conservation agriculture, optimum N management recommendations/protocols in mustard under pearlmillet-mustard cropping system are lacking. Effect of crop residue retention on nutrient saving and soil moisture dynamics needs systemic studies. The crop and livestock component of intensive farming systems of rainfed areas compete for crop residues, as either soil cover or food resources. Therefore, to ensure availability of residues for soil moisture conservation and for livestock and their interactions needs to be studied, particularly under rainfed/limited irrigation situations. Options like high density mustard planting are not studied so far. Based on these research gaps the research problem is identified as “Planting density and nitrogen scheduling studies in mustard under conservation agriculture based pearlmillet–mustard system”

11. Programme of Research Work:

The field experiment entitled, “Planting density and nitrogen scheduling studies in mustard under conservation agriculture based pearlmillet–mustard system” will be conducted during winter season 2016 at Research farm of the Division of Agronomy, IARI, New Delhi.

12. Methodology

Treatment detail:

A. Planting and residue management practices (Main plot):

1. Normal distance sowing

2. High density sowing fb alternate row harvesting for fodder at 35 DAS

3. High density sowing fb alternate row harvesting for mulch at 35 DAS

B. Nitrogen management (Sub plot):

1. Control (No N application)

2. 60 kg N/ha as basal (100% RDN)

3. 30 kg N/ha as basal + 30 kg N/ha as side dressing

4. 75 kg N/ha as basal (125% RDN)

5. 37.5 kg N/ha as basal + 37.5 kg N/ha as side dressing

Experimental layout

Design / : / Split-plot design / Replications / : / Three
Variety / : / Pusa Mustard-26 / Plot size / : / 3X6m

Observations to be recorded:

(A) Growth parameters:

Plant height at 30, 60, 90 DAS & at harvest
Dry matter accumulation at 30, 60, 90 DAS & at harvest
Branches/plant at flowering
Days to 50% flowering
SPAD values at different growth stages.

(B) Yield and yield attributing characters:

Siliqua/plant,
Filled grains/siliquae
1,000 grain weight
Grain yield
Stover yield
Biological yield
Harvest index

N content and uptake in grain and stover
Agronomic efficiency (AE)
Recovery efficiency (RE)
Physiological efficiency (PE)
Nitrogen harvest index (NHI)

(D) Quality parameters:

Oil content (%) and oil yield (kg/ha) in mustard
Nutrient and quality estimation in fodder at harvest

(E) Soil analysis:

Initial and final fertility status of soil (OC, N, P and K)
Soil moisture content at different depths at periodic interval
Consumptive use of water
Water use efficiency

(F) Economics:

Cost of cultivation
Gross returns
Net returns
B:C ratio
Production efficiency
Monetary efficiency

13. Facilities required and their availability:

The facilities available in the Division of Agronomy as well as in other Divisions of Institute, viz. Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry and Agricultural Physics, will be utilized for the study.

14. Whether radioactivity is involved in the proposed research work: No

(1) Whether radio-safety badge has been obtained or applied for?: N/A

(2) Whether the laboratory in which the work has to be carried out is approved for radioactivityy: N/A

References:

Bana, R.S. 2014. Agrotechniques for conserving water and sustaining production in rainfed agriculture. Indian Farming63(10):30–35.

Bana, R.S., Rana, K.S., Dass, A., Choudhary, A.K., Pooniya, V., Vyas, A.K., Kaur, R., Sepat, S. and Rana, D.S. 2013. A Manual on Dryland Farming and Watershed Management. India: IARI, New Delhi [ISBN: 978-93-83168-03-3], pp. 104.

Castro Filho, C., Henklain, J.C., Vieira, M.J. and Casão Jr, R. 1991. Tillage methods and soil and water con-servation in southern Brazil.Soil and Tillage Research 20, 271–283.

DAC. 2012. Agriculture at a glance 2011. Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of India.

Rana, K.S. and Bana, R.S.2012. Studies on aqua-fertilization with and without nitrogen in wheat (Triticum aestivum) under rainfed conditions. Research on crops. 13(2): 453-455.

Rana, K.S., Kumar Dinesh and Bana R.S. 2012. Agronomic Research on Pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L.). Indian Journal of Agronomy 57 (3rd IAC Special Issue):45-51

Sahrawat, K.L., Wani, S.P., Rego, T. J., Pardhasaradhi G and Murthy, K.V.S. 2007. Widespread deficiencies of sulphur, boron and zinc in dryland soils of the Indian semi-arid tropics.Current Science 93 (10) :1428-1432

Vetriventhan, M.; Nirmalakumari, A. and Ganapathy, S. (2008). Heterosis for grain yield components in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) R. Br.). World J. Agril. Sci., 4(5): 657-660.

1. Recommended by

Advisory Committee

Name & Designation / Division / Signature
i) Chairman / Dr. R.S. Bana
Scientist (Sr. Scale) / Agronomy
ii) Co-Chairman / Dr. K.S. Rana
Principal Scientist / Agronomy
iii) Member / Dr. Seema Sepat
Scientist (Sr. Scale) / Agronomy
iv) Member / Dr Vijay Pooniya
Scientist (Sr. Scale) / Agronomy
V) Member / Dr M.C. Meena
Scientist (Sr. Scale) / Soil Science and Agril Chemistry
vi) Member / Dr. Anil Kumar
Principal Scientist / Agricultural Statistics

Certified that the ORW of the student has been formulated and finalized in accordance with

the procedure prescribed in Para 8.14.2 of the Post Graduate Calendar.

2. Professor, Division of Agronomy ______Date:

3. Head, Division of Agronomy ______Date:

4. Approved by the Dean, Post Graduate School ______Date:

Date:Signature of student