Author Details

In the semi-arid tropics (SAT) farmers practice calendar- based irrigation scheduling, which generally results in over irrigation and poor water use efficiency. The lack of a simple decision tool to decide timing and quantity of water to be applied is a bottleneck. An Excel-based decision support system termed Water Impact Calculator (WIC) is developed using data collected at the ICRISAT, which were validated at three pilot sites on farmers' fields in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Telangana. Field studies were conducted under two land-form treatments (broad bed and furrow (BBF) and flat fields); and irrigation water was applied following two different methods (drip and flood). The data collected at micro-watershed at the ICRISAT and three other sites showed that WIC could be used under wide range of soil and rainfall conditions. WIC simulated soil moisture was comparable with the observed moisture data, which forms the basis of irrigation scheduling. The WIC-based water balance at these experimental sites showed that number and amount of irrigation could be reduced by 30-40% using WIC-based irrigation scheduling without compromising the crop yield. The WIC could be a potential tool for water resources planning and efficient management at the field and watershed scale in the SAT.

Keywords

Consumptive Water Use, Semi-Arid Tropics, Water Impact Calculator, Irrigation Scheduling, Water Balance.

Full Text

References

Gordon, L. J., Finlayson, C. M. and Falkenmark, M., Managing water in agriculture for food production and other ecosystem services. Agric. Water Manage., 2010, 97, 512–519.

Rockström, J. et al., Managing water in rainfed agriculture. In Water for Food, Water for Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (ed. Molden, D. et al.), Earthscan, London, UK and International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2007, pp. 315–348.

de Fraiture, C., Wichelns., D., Rockstrom, J. and Kemp-Benedict, E., Looking ahead to 2050: scenarios of alternative investment approaches. In Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, Water for Food, Water for Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, chapter 3 (ed. Molden, D.), International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Earthscan, London, 2007, pp. 91–145.

Khan, S. and Hanjra, M. A., Footprints of water and energy inputs in food production – global perspectives. Food Policy, 2009, 34, 130–140.

Hanjra, M. A. and Qureshi, M. E., Global water crisis and future food security in an era of climate change. Food Policy, 2010, 35, 365–377.

Wani, S. P., Garg, K. K., Singh, A. K. and Rockstrom, J., Sustainable management of scarce water resource in tropical rainfed agriculture. In Soil Water and Agronomic Productivity (eds Lal, R. and Stewart, B. A.), Advances in Soil Science, CRC Press, United Kingdom, 2012, pp. 347–408.

FAO, CROPWAT – a computer program for irrigation planning and management, 1992; Online available at http://www.fao.org/nr/water/infores_databases_cropwat.html

Falkenmark, M., Land-water linkages – a synopsis, land and water integration and river basin management. FAO Land Water Bull., 1995, 1, 15–16.

USDA SCS, National Engineering Handbook Section 4. Hydrology, USDA-SCS, Washington, DC, USA, 1972.

Neitsch, S. L., Arnold, J. G., Kiniry, J. R., Williams, J. R. and King, K. W., Soil and water assessment tool, Theoretical documentation, 2005.

Hawkins, R., Asymptotic determination of runoff curve numbers from data. J. Irrig. Drain Eng., 1993, 119, 334–325.

Thornthwaite, C. W., An approach toward a rational classification of climate. Geogr. Rev., 1948, 38, 55–94.

Penman, H. L., Evaporation: An introductory survey, Netherlands. J. Agric. Sci., 1956, 1, 9-29; 87–97; 151–153.

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D. and Smith, M., Crop evapotranspiration: guidelines for computing crop water requirements, FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56, Rome, Italy; United Nations, FAO, 1998.

Garg, K. K., Karlberg, L., Barron, J., Wani, S. P. and Rockstrom, J., Assessing impact of agricultural water interventions at the Kothapally watershed, Southern India, Hydrol. Processes, 2012, 26, 387–404.

Garg, K. K. and Wani, S. P., Opportunities to build groundwater resilience in the semi-arid tropics. Groundwater National Ground Water Association. Groundwater, 2013, 51, 679–691.

Singh, P., Alagarswamy, Pathak, P., Wani, S. P., Hoogenboom, G. and Virmani, S. M., Soybean–chickpea rotation on Vertic Inceptisol I, Effect of soil depth and landform on light interception, water balance and crop yields. Field Crop Res., 1999, 63, 211–224.

Government of India, Final report of minor irrigation watershed management for the twelfth five year plan (2012–2017), Planning Commission, Government of India, New Delhi, 2012.

Conservation Agriculture for Improving Water Productivity in Vertisols of Semi-Arid Tropics

Abstract Views :313 | PDF Views:98

Authors

Mukund D. Patil ¹, Suhas P. Wani ¹, Kaushal K. Garg ¹

Affiliations
1 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru 502 324, IN

Source

Current Science, Vol 110, No 9 (2016), Pagination: 1730-1739

Abstract

Large variability and uncertainty of rainfall are the main limiting factors for crop growth in rainfed agriculture. Agriculture water management interventions are considered as suitable adoption strategy to enhance crop yield, productivity and income in rainfed condition. Three-year experimental data collected at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi- Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India are analysed to study the impact of in-situ interventions (tillage and crop residue) on field water balance and grain yield under the two different cropping systems (maize + chickpea sequential and maize/pigeon pea intercropping). One dimensional water balance model is calibrated to capture field hydrology (soil water, surface runoff). Weather data calibrated for 36 years showed that incorporating crop residues reduced surface runoff by 28% compared to control fields. However, the impact of tillage and residue treatment on soil water was not consistent throughout the growing period. Water productivity values for intercropping systems (WUE = 0.61 to 1.49 kg m^-3) were relatively higher compared to sequential cropping systems (WUE = 0.47 to 1.06 kg m^-3). Second crop in sequential cropping system often suffered from water stress that led to poor crop yield. However, a few rain events at the end of the monsoon period were beneficial to second crop. Simulation results indicated that the conservation agriculture could save up to 30% yield loss incurred due to water stress during deficit rainfall compared to conventional agricultural practices.

Keywords

Conservation Agriculture, Crop Residue, Minimum Tillage, Rainfed Agriculture, Semi-Arid Tropics, Soil Water Balance, Vertisols.

Full Text

References

Araya, T. et al., Effects of conservation agriculture on runoff, soil loss and crop yield under rainfed conditions in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Soil Use Manage., 2011, 27, 404–414.

Araya, T. et al., Medium-term effects of conservation agriculture based cropping systems for sustainable soil and water management and crop productivity in the Ethiopian highlands. Field Crops Res., 2012, 132, 53–62.

Potter, K. N., Torbert, H. A. and Morrison, J. E. J., Tillage and residue effects on infiltration and sediment losses on Vertisols. Am. Soc. Agric. Eng., 1995, 38, 1413–1419.

Rusinamhodzi, L., Corbeels, M., Nyamangara, J. and Giller, K. E., Maize-grain legume intercropping is an attractive option for ecological intensification that reduces climatic risk for smallholder farmers in central Mozambique. Field Crops Res., 2012, 136, 12–22.

Lin, B. B., Resilience in agriculture through crop diversification: Adaptive management for environmental change. Bioscience, 2011, 61, 183–193.

Myaka, F. et al., Yields and accumulations of N and P in farmermanaged intercrops of maize-pigeonpea in semi-arid Africa. Plant Soil, 2006, 285, 207–220.

Aslam, M., Mahmood, I. A., Peoples, M. B., Schwenke, G. D. and Herridge, D. F., Contribution of chickpea nitrogen fixation to increased wheat production and soil organic fertility in rain-fed cropping. Biol. Fertic. Soils, 2003, 38, 59–64.

Ngwira, A. R., Aune, J. B. and Mkwinda, S., On-farm evaluation of yield and economic benefit of short term maize legume intercropping systems under conservation agriculture in Malawi. Field Crops Res., 2012, 132, 149–157.

Rockstrom, J. et al., Conservation farming strategies in east and southern Africa: yields and rain water productivity from on-farm action research. Soil Till. Res., 2009, 103, 23–32.

Ito, M., Matsumoto, T. and Quinones, M. A., Conservation tillage practice in sub-Saharan Africa: The experience of Sasakawa Global 2000. Crop Protect., 2007, 26, 417–423.

Li, H. W., Gao, H. W., Wu, H. D., Li, W. Y., Wang, X. Y. and He, J., Effects of 15 years of conservation tillage on soil structure and productivity of wheat cultivation in northern China. Austr. J. Soil Res., 2007, 45, 344–350.

Wang, X. B., Cai, D. X., Hoogmoed, W. B., Oenema, O. and Perdok, U. D., Developments in conservation tillage in rainfed regions of north china. Soil Till. Res., 2007, 93, 239–250.

Baudron, F. D. R., Tittonell, P., Corbeels, M., Letourmy, P. and Giller, K. E., Comparative performance of conservation agriculture and current smallholder farming practices in semi-arid Zimbabwe. Field Crops Res., 2012, 132, 117–128.

Van den Putte, A., Govers, G., Diels, J., Gillijns, K. and Demuzere, M., Assessing the effect of soil tillage on crop growth: a meta-regression analysis on European crop yields under conservation agriculture. Euro. J. Agron., 2010, 33, 231–241.

Barron, J., Rockstrom, J., Gichuki, F. and Hatibu, N., Dry spell analysis and maize yields for two semi-arid locations in east Africa. Agric. Forest Meteor., 2003, 117, 23–37.

Barron, J., Rockstrom, J., Gichuki, F. and Hatibu, N., Dry spell analysis and maize yields for two semi-arid locations in east Africa. Agric. Forest Meteor., 2003, 117, 23–37.

Pathak, P., Sudi, R., Wani, S. P. and Sahrawat, K. L., Hydrological behavior of Alfisols and Vertisols in the semi-arid zone: Implications for soil and water management. Agric. Water Manage., 2013, 118, 12–21.

Greeneke, R., Shrinkage of clay soils – statistical correlation with other soil properties. Geoderma, 1974, 11, 243–257.

Loch, R. J. and Coughlan, K. J., Effects of zero tillage and stubble retention on some properties of a cracking clay. Aust. J. Soil Res., 1984, 22, 91–98.

Ritchie, J. T. and Adams, J. E., Field measurement of evaporation from soil shrinkage cracks. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 1974, 38, 131–134.

Selim, H. M. and Kirkham, D., Soil temperature and water content changes during drying as influenced by cracks – a laboratory experiment. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc., 1970, 34, 565–569.

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Smith, M., Raes, D. and Wright, J. L., FAO-56 dual crop coefficient method for estimating evaporation from soil and application extensions. J. Irri. Drain. Eng., 2005, 131, 2–13.

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D. and Smith, M., Crop evapotranspiration – guidelines for computing crop water requirements – FAO irrigation and drainage paper 56, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 1998.

Neitsch, S. L., Arnold, J. G., Kiniry, J. R. and Williams, J. R., Soil and water assessment tool theoretical documentation, version 2009. In Texas Water Resources Institute Technical Report No 406, Texas A&M University System, Temple, TX.

Steduto, P., Hsiao, T. C., Raes, D. and Fereres, E., AquaCrop – the FAO crop model to simulate yield response to water: I. Concepts and underlying principles. Agron. J., 2009, 101, 426–437.

Sahrawat, K. L., Wani, S. P., Pathak, P. and Rego, T. J., Managing natural resources of watersheds in the semi-arid tropics for improved soil and water quality: a review. Agric. Water Manage., 2010, 97, 375–381.

Oicha, T. et al., Short-term effects of conservation agriculture on Vertisols under tef (Eragrostis tef (zucc.) trotter) in the northern Ethiopian highlands. Soil Till. Res., 2010, 106, 294–302.

Engel, F. L., Bertol, I., Ritter, S. R., Paz Gonzalez, A., PazFerreiro, J. and Vidal Vazquez, E., Soil erosion under simulated rainfall in relation to phenological stages of soybeans and tillage methods in Lages, SC, Brazil. Soil Till. Res., 2009, 103, 216–221.

Erkossa, T., Stahr, K. and Gaiser, T., Effect of different methods of land preparation on runoff, soil and nutrient losses from a Vertisol in the Ethiopian highlands. Soil Use Manage., 2005, 21, 253–259.

Favre, F., Boivin, P. and Wopereis, M. C. S., Water movement and soil swelling in a dry, cracked Vertisol. Geoderma, 1997, 78, 113–123.

Kulasekera, P. B., Parkin, G. W. and von Bertoldi, P., Using soil water content sensors to characterize tillage effects on preferential flow. Vadose Zone J., 2011, 10, 683–696.

Elias, E. A., Salih, A. A. and Alaily, F., Cracking patterns in the Vertisols of the Sudan Gezira at the end of dry season. Int. Agrophys., 2001, 15, 151–155.

Chander, G., Wani, S. P., Sahrawat, K. L. and Jangwad, L. S., Balanced plant nutrition enhances rainfed crop yields and water productivity in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh states of India. J. Tropic Agric., 2012, 50, 24–29.

Username
Password
Remember me