Impact of cropping systems and soil-moisture conservation techniques on fodder productivity under semi-arid environment

S.L. MEENA; S.S. MEENA; R.P. NAGAR

doi:10.59797/ija.v61i1.4328

Authors

S.L. MEENA
S.S. MEENA
R.P. NAGAR

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v61i1.4328

Keywords:

Cenchrus ciliaris, Clitoria ternatea, Cropping system, Fodder yield, FYM, Mulching

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 201113 at Avikanagar, Rajasthan, to study the effect of cropping systems and soil-moisture conservation techniques on growth and yield of fodder crops. The treatments were comprised 7 cropping systems, viz. sole buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) sole pearlmillet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.], sole clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taubert], sole butterfly plea (Clitoria ternatea L.), C. ciliaris + clusterbean (1 : 1), pearlmillet + clusterbean (1 : 1), and C. ciliaris + C. ternatea (1 : 1)] in main plots and 4 moisture-conservation techniques [control, dust mulch, straw mulch @ 5 t/ha and farmyard manure @ 5 t/ha] in subplots. Straw mulching and the application of farmyard manure (FYM) were found significantly superior to dust mulching and the control in terms of growth and dry-fodder yield. Dry-fodder yield of Cenchrus ciliaris L., Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, Pennisetum glaucum. and Clitoria ternatea L. was significantly higher under straw mulching (3,607; 2,243; 7,041 and 1,746 kg/ha) over rest of the soil-moisture conservation treatments. The dry- fodder yield was also found significantly more under application of FYM (3,338; 2,046; 6,339 and 1,604 kg/ha) than the dust mulching (2,191; 1,864; 6,094 and 1,395 kg/ha) and control (2,012; 1,741; 5,718 and 1,182 kg/ha) respectively. The maximum soil moisture (%) was retained under the cropping system of C. ciliaris (4.83) alone followed by C. ciliaris + C. ternatea (4.09), C. ciliaris + clusterbean (3.99), C. ternatea (3.58), pearlmillet (3.55), pearlmillet + clusterbean (3.44) and clusterbean (3.42). Soil-moisture content also retained significantly more un- der the application of straw mulching (4.27) over dust mulching (3.71) and the control (3.41) but at par with FYM (3.99). Straw mulching under C. ciliaris cropped with C. ternatea was found effective for conserving soil moisture and improving forage productivity under semi-arid ecosystems.

References

Choudhary, V.K., Kumar, P.S. and Bhagawati, R. 2013. Response of tillage and in-situ moisture conservation on alteration of soil and morpho-physiological differences in maize under eastern Himalayan region of India. Journals Soil and Tillage Research 134: 4148.

Goswami, V.K., Kaushik, S.K. and Gautam, R.C. 2002. Effect of intercropping and weed control on nutrient uptake and water-use efficiency of pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum) under rainfed conditions. Indian Journal of Agronomy 47(4): 504

Jat, M.L. and Gautam, R.C. 2001. Productivity and water use of rainfed pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum) as influenced by summer ploughing and in-situ moisture conservation practices under semi-arid conditions of north-west India. Indian Journal of Agronomy 46(2): 26672.

Lal, B., Rana, K.S., Rana, D.S., Gautam, P., Shivay, Y. S., Ansari, M.A., Meena, B.P. and Kumar, K. 2014. Influence of inter-cropping, moisture conservation practice and P and S levels on growth, nodulation and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under rainfed condition. Legume Research 37(3): 30005.

Montenegro, A.A.A., Abrantes, J.R.C.B., de Lima, J.L.M.P., Singh, V.P., and Santos, T.E.M. 2013. Impact of mulching on soil and water dynamics under intermittent simulated rainfall. CATENA 109: 13949.

Regar, P.L., Rao, S.S. and Joshi, N.L. 2011. Effect of in-situ moisture conservation practices on productivity of rainfed taramira (Eruca sativa) in arid Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Soil Conservation 37(3): 197200.

Shen, J.Y., Zhao, D.D., Han, H.F., Zhou, X.B. and Li, Q.Q. 2012. Effects of straw mulching on water consumption characteristics and yield of different types of summer maize plants. Plant, Soil and Environment 58(4): 16166.

Singh, A.K., Singh, R.K., Singh, A.K., Singh, V.K., Rawat, S.S., Mehta, K.S., Kumar, A. Gupta, M.K. and Thakur, S. 2014. Bio-Mulching for ginger crop management: Traditional ecological knowledge led adaptation under rainfed agro-ecosystems. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 13(1): 111

Singh, D.P., Rajput, A.L. and Singh, S.K. 1998. Productivity and economics of lentil (Lens culinaris)-based cropping systems. Indian Journal of Agronomy 43(4): 58890.

Vekariya, P.D., Sanepara, D.P., Gajera, M.S. and Akbari, K.N. 2014. Effect of alley width and organic manure on productivity of groundnut and in-situ moisture conservation under dryland eco-system. Legume Research 37(4): 41519.

Zegada-Lizarazu, W. and Berliner, P.R. 2011. Inter-row mulch increases the water use efficiency of furrow-irrigated maize in an arid environment. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 197(3): 23748.