Balvir Verma , N. S. Jayaram

Abstract

Velvet Bean is an important fodder legume in the Punjab. Growth studies of this legume have been carried out in the Chalka Soils of Hyderabad to find out its adaptability for such soils.

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Bakhshish Singh , S. K. Majumdar , Balvir Verma

Abstract

Four cultural operations (C₁-Control, C₂-Harrowing, C₃-Ploughing, and C₄-Furrowing at 1 m interval and three seeding and fertiliser treatments (S₀f₀ - no seeding or fertiliser, S₁f₀-seeding with a mixture of Cenchrus ciliaris and Dicanthium annulatum at 6 kg/ha; and S₁f₁-seeding as above and fertiliser application at 20 kg N, 20 kg P₂O₅ per ha) were tried in a split plot design with 4 replications to study their effects, singly and in combination with each other, on the various aspects of grassland production in the Ravine Lands at the Soil Conservation Research Station, Vasad (Gujarat). Results indicate that ploughing gave significantly higher forage production than all other cultural operations tried, but reduced the basal cover per cent of the grasses to a considerable extent. Furrowing was better than Harrowing in overall performance. Out of the two grass species used for seeding, Cenchrus ciliaris developed higher percentage composition in the stand. Both the seeding treatments, i.e., seeding only and seeding with fertilisers increased the forage yield, height growth and percentage composition (of the two species used for seeding), but reduced the basal cover per cent and number of tillers per clump. Furrowing combined with seeding of Cenchrus ciliaris has been found to be a comparatively suitable practice for grassland development on marginal lands and humps of ravine areas in this region.

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Balvir Verma , Bakhshish Singh , N. H. Saraf , K. Monappa

Abstract

Grasses play an important role in the stabilization of peripheral and contour bunds and bench terrace faces in gullied land reclaimed for cultivation. In the case of deep gullies, where reclamation is very costly, they effectively check the widening and deepening of gullies. The role of grasses for Soil and Water Conservation in ravine lands side by side to their economics has been discussed in this paper.

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Bakhshish Singh , Balvir Verma , K. Monappa

Abstract

Seven fertiliser treatments consisting of 20 kg Nitrogen as Ammonium Sulphate, 20 kg P₂O₅ as Superphosphate, and 20 kg K₂O as Sulphate of Potash per hectare, singly as well as in different combinations, were tried for a period of 4 years in the ravine lands along the river Mahi at the Soil Conservation Research Station, Vasad (Gujarat) to study their effects on grassland production, quality of fodder and economics, etc., as compared to the control-where no fertilisers were applied. Results indicate that combined application of N & P gave significantly higher mean forage yield. Cumulative effect of phosphates in the later years was better than that of nitrogen, while potash depressed the forage yield. The various treatments of fertilisers had neither any significant effect on percentage botanical composition of the grass species, nor on their chemical composition (total N per cent and crude protein per cent as compared to control). Dichanthium annulatum gave significantly higher N per cent, and crude protein per cent under the treatments of N, K & PK as compared to NP and NPK. None of the fertiliser applications proved to be economical as compared to the Control.

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Bakhshish Singh , Balvir Verma

Abstract

Five treatments (viz. T₁ - Closure to grazing and fires; T₂ - Closure plus broadcasting seeds of Cenchrus ciliaris at 4.5 kg/ha and planting Dichanthium annulatum in gully beds at 3×3m spacing; T₃ - closure plus gully plugging and peripheral bunding; T₄-T₈ plus N₂₀P₂₀; T₅- similar to T₄ but with soil scarification) for grassland improvements were tried in the ravine lands along river Mahi at the Soil Conservation research Station, Vasad (Gujarat), for a period of six years from 1960-61 to 1965-66. The results indicate that closure alone, increased the mean forage production by 47.9 per cent. Gully plugging and peripheral bunding gave a marked increase in percentage composition of Cenchrus ciliaris as well as in Soil moisture per cent, and it effected an increase of 76.5 per cent in forage yield. The application of fertilisers with soil scarification affected an appreciable increase in forage production while their application without soil scarification (T₄) did not have any appreciable effect as compared to no application of fertilisers (T₃).

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