Maize is an important industrial crop where yield and quality enhancement both assume greater importance. Clean production technologies like conservation agriculture and integrated nutrient ...management hold the key to enhance productivity and quality besides improving soil health and environment. Hence, maize productivity and quality were assessed under a maize-wheat cropping system (MWCS) using four crop-establishment and tillage management practices FBCT-FBCT (Flat bed-conventional tillage both in maize and wheat); RBCT-RBZT (Raised bed-CT in maize and raised bed-zero tillage in wheat); FBZT-FBZT (FBZT both in maize and wheat); PRBZT-PRBZT (Permanent raised bed-ZT both in maize and wheat, and five P-fertilization practices P
(100% soil applied-P); P
+ 2FSP (50% soil applied-P + 2 foliar-sprays of P through 2% DAP both in maize and wheat); P
+ PSB + AM-fungi; P
+ PSB + AMF + 2FSP; and P
(100% NK with no-P) in split-plot design replicated-thrice. Double zero-tilled PRBZT-PRBZT system significantly enhanced the maize grain, starch, protein and oil yield by 13.1-19% over conventional FBCT-FBCT. P
+ PSB + AMF + 2FSP, integrating soil applied-P, microbial-inoculants and foliar-P, had significantly higher grain, starch, protein and oil yield by 12.5-17.2% over P
besides saving 34.7% fertilizer-P both in maize and on cropping-system basis. P
+ PSB + AMF + 2FSP again had significantly higher starch, lysine and tryptophan content by 4.6-10.4% over P
due to sustained and synchronized P-bioavailability. Higher amylose content (24.1%) was observed in grains under P
+ PSB + AMF + 2FSP, a beneficial trait due to its lower glycemic-index highly required for diabetic patients, where current COVID-19 pandemic further necessitated the use of such dietary ingredients. Double zero-tilled PRBZT-PRBZT reported greater MUFA (oleic acid, 37.1%), MUFA: PUFA ratio and P/S index with 6.9% higher P/S index in corn-oil (an oil quality parameter highly required for heart-health) over RBCT-RBCT. MUFA, MUFA: PUFA ratio and P/S index were also higher under P
+ PSB + AMF + 2FSP; avowing the obvious role of foliar-P and microbial-inoculants in influencing maize fatty acid composition. Overall, double zero-tilled PRBZT-PRBZT with crop residue retention at 6 t/ha per year along with P
+ PSB + AMF + 2FSP while saving 34.7% fertilizer-P in MWCS, may prove beneficial in enhancing maize productivity and quality so as to reinforce the food and nutritional security besides boosting food, corn-oil and starch industry in south-Asia and collateral arid agro-ecologies across the globe.
This review paper aims at an in‐depth analysis of the challenges, opportunities, and status of fodder production in India. A comprehensive review of available literature and various reports by govt. ...as well as non govt. organizations have been done as part of the methodology for preparing the manuscript. India caters to approximately 20% of the world's livestock population and about 17.5% of the human population on just 2.3% of the world's land area. The human population is increasing at a pace of 1.6% per annum, while the livestock population is increasing at a rate of 0.66% per year. Theses increasing human and animal populations are fighting tooth and nail for land resources for food and fodder production, respectively. As a result, cultivated fodders occupy only 4% of the entire cultivable land in the country. Presently, the country faces a net shortfall of 35.6% green fodder, 10.5% dry crop leftovers, and 44% concentrate feed ingredients. The option for increasing land area under fodder cultivation is very limited. Hence, it is big challenge in front of us to utilize the available meagre land wisely with its fullest potential to produce the fodders for the animals. Which could be achieved by adopting suitable cropping systems, incorporation of fodder crops in food and other cash crop‐based cropping systems on rotational basis, production of fodder on degraded lands by adopting fodder‐based agro forestry systems and exploring other options of green fodder like azolla. The cropping system with forage crops provides a potential alternative to overcome the fodder problem as it utilizes the resources more efficiently.
Intense cultivation with narrow row spacing in wheat, a common practice in the Indo-Gangetic plains of South Asia, renders the crop more susceptible to lodging during physiological maturity. This ...susceptibility, compounded by the use of traditional crop cultivars, has led to a substantial decline in overall crop productivity. In response to these challenges, a two-year field study on the system of wheat intensification (SWI) was conducted. The study involved three different cultivation methods in horizontal plots and four wheat genotypes in vertical plots, organized in a strip plot design. Our results exhibited that adoption of SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm resulted in significantly higher intercellular CO2 concentration (5.9-6.3%), transpiration rate (13.2-15.8%), stomatal conductance (55-59%), net photosynthetic rate (126-160%), and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception (1.6-25.2%) over the existing conventional method (plant geometry 22.5 cm × continuous plant to plant spacing) of wheat cultivation. The lodging resistance capacity of both the lower and upper 3rd nodes was significantly higher in the SWI compared to other cultivation methods. Among different genotypes, HD 2967 demonstrated the highest recorded value for lodging resistance capacity, followed by HD 2851, HD 3086, and HD 2894. In addition, adoption of the SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm enhanced crop grain yield by 36.9-41.6%, and biological yield by 27.5-29.8%. Significantly higher soil dehydrogenase activity (12.06 μg TPF g-1 soil hr-1), arylsulfatase activity (82.8 μg p-nitro phenol g-1 soil hr-1), alkaline phosphatase activity (3.11 n moles ethylene g-1 soil hr-1), total polysaccharides, soil microbial biomass carbon, and soil chlorophyll content were also noted under SWI over conventional method of the production. Further, increased root volumes, surface root density and higher NPK uptake were recorded under SWI at 20×20 cm in comparison to rest of the treatments. Among the tested wheat genotypes, HD-2967 and HD-3086 had demonstrated notable increases in grain and biological yields, as well as improvements in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and chlorophyll content. Therefore, adoption of SWI at 20 cm ×20 cm (square planting) with cultivars HD 2967 might be the best strategy for enhancing crop productivity and resource-use efficiency under the similar wheat growing conditions of India and similar agro-ecotypes of the globe.
Excessive dependence on chemical fertilizers and ignorance to organic and microbial inputs under intensive cropping systems are the basic components of contemporary agriculture, which evolves several ...sustainability issues, such as degraded soil health and sub-optimal crop productivity. This scenario urges for integrated nutrient management approaches, such as microbes-mediated integrated plant nutrition for curtailing the high doses as chemical fertilizers. Rationally, experiment has been conducted in pigeonpea at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, with the aim of identifying the appropriate nutrient management technique involving microbial and organic nutrient sources for improved rhizo-modulation, crop productivity, and soil bio-fertility. The randomized block-designed experiment consisted nine treatments
viz
. Control, Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), RDF+ Microbial inoculants (MI), Vermicompost (VC), Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Leaf Compost (LC), VC + MI, FYM + MI, and LC + MI.
Rhizobium
spp.,
Pseudomonas
spp.,
Bacillus
spp., and
Frateuria aurantia
were used as seed-inoculating microbes. The results indicated the significant response of integration following the trend VC + MI > FYM + MI > LC + MI > RDF + MI for various plant shoot-root growth attributes and soil microbial and enzymatic properties. FYM + MI significantly improved the water-stable aggregates (22%), mean weight diameter (1.13 mm), and geometric mean diameter (0.93 mm), soil organic carbon (SOC), SOC stock, and SOC sequestration. The chemical properties
viz
. available N, P, and K were significantly improved with VC + MI. The study summarizes that FYM + MI could result in better soil physico-chemical and biological properties and shoot-root development; however; VC + MI could improve available nutrients in the soil and may enhance the growth of pigeonpea more effectively. The outcomes of the study are postulated as a viable and alternative solution for excessive chemical fertilizer-based nutrient management and would also promote the microbial consortia and organic manures-based agro-industries. This would add to the goal of sustainable agricultural development by producing quality crop produce, maintaining agro-biodiversity and making the soils fertile and healthy that would be a “gift to the society.”
Information on the role of boron (B) on soil physico-chemical and biological entities is scarce, and the precise mechanism in soil is still obscure. Present field investigation aimed to assessing the ...implication of direct and residual effect of graded levels of applied-B on soil biological entities and its concomitant impact on crop productivity. The treatments comprised of five graded levels of B with four replications. To assess the direct effect of B-fertilization, cauliflower was grown as a test crop wherein, B-fertilization was done every year. For assessment of succeeding residual effects of B-fertilization, cowpea and okra were grown as test crops and, B-fertilization was phased out in both crops. The 100% recommended dose of NPK (RDF) along with FYM was uniformly applied to all crops under CCOCS. Results indicated that the direct effect of B had the edge over residual effect of B in affecting soil physico-chemical and biological entities under CCOCS. Amongst the graded levels of B, application of the highest B level (2 kg ha
–1
) was most prominent in augmenting microbiological pools in soil at different crop growth stages. The order of B treatments in respect of MBC, MBN, and soil respiration at different crop growth stages was 2.0 kg B ha
–1
> 1.5 kg B ha
–1
> 1.0 kg B ha
–1
> 0.5 kg B ha
–1
> 0 kg B ha
–1
, respectively. Moreover, maximum recoveries of potentially mineralizable-C (PMC) and potentially mineralizable-N (PMN) were noticed under 2 kg B ha
–1
. Analogous trend was recorded in soil microbial populations at different crop growth stages. Similarly, escalating B levels up to 2 kg B ha
–1
exhibited significantly greater soil enzymatic activities
viz.
, arylsulphatase (AS), dehydrogenase (DH), fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and phosphomonoesterase (PMA), except urease enzyme (UE) which showed an antagonistic effect of applied-B in soil. Greater geometric mean enzyme activity (GMEA) and soil functional diversity index were recorded under 2 kg B ha
–1
in CCOCS, at all crop growth stages over control. The inclusive results indicated that different soil physico-chemical and biological properties CCOCS can be invariably improved by the application of graded levels of B up to 2 kg B ha
–1
in an acid Inceptisol.
Phosphorus (P) is a vital element required by all living organism (plants, animals and microbes etc.). Its application in agriculture, whether in conventional or conservation agriculture, requires ...careful attention due to its low use efficiency, which typically does not exceed 20%. With the increasing acceptance of conservation agriculture (CA), it is crucial to develop protocols for P management to ensure sustainable wheat production. Therefore, a field trial was conducted from 2016–2017 to 2017–2018 in the India's semiarid eco-region to study the role of P on wheat productivity, quality, and resource use efficiency under CA-based production system. We assessed the impact of tillage operations and P management practices on wheat productivity, quality, and resource use efficiency. Three tillage and residue management options such as CT-R (conventional tillage without residue); NT-R (no tillage without maize residue) and NT + R (no tillage with maize residue @ 2.5 Mg ha
−1
) were laid-out in main plot and five P management options subplots viz. P1 (nitrogen and potash according to recommended but not P); P2 (17.2 kg P ha
−1
); P3 (17.2 kg of P ha
−1
+ microbial fertilizer); P4 (17.2 kg P ha
−1
+ compost inoculant culture) and P5 (34.4 kg P ha
−1
) in split plot design with three replicates. The results indicates that the combination of no-tillage with residue retention (maize residue @ 2.5 Mg ha
−1
) (NT + R) and the application of 34.4 kg P ha
−1
(P5) significantly improved grain yield by ~43.2% compared to the control treatment (conventional tillage with no residue, CT – R, and no phosphorus application). NT + R also resulted in significantly better amino acid (~22.7%) and net protein yield (~21.2%) compared to CT – R. Regarding the P management strategy, the highest amino acid (49.1%) and protein yield (12.5%) were observed under the P5 treatment compared to the no-phosphorus treatment. Conjoint use of NT – R, along with the application of 17.2 kg P ha
−1
and PSB (Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria), resulted in a significant increase in energy use efficiency of ~58% over other treatments combination. Furthermore, the NT + R plot that received 17.2 kg P ha
−1
+ PSB demonstrated higher P agronomic efficiency (~43%) and recovery efficiency (~53%) over control. The study's findings underscore the significance of adopting efficient P management strategies in CA to ensure the sustainable production of wheat.
The major challenge of growing soybean, other than unfavorable weather and small farm size, is the non-availability of quality inputs at the right time. Furthermore, in soybean growing regions, crop ...productivity and soil environment have deteriorated due to the use of traditional varieties and conventional methods of production. Soybean crop intensification or system of crop intensification in soybean (SCI) is an agricultural production system that boosts soybean yields, improves the soil environment, and maximizes the efficiency of input utilization, although the contribution of SCI to crop productivity is not well understood as different genotypes of soybean exhibit different physiological responses. Therefore, a field study was conducted in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 using three crop establishment methods (SCI at a 45 cm × 45 cm row spacing, SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm, and a conventional method at 45 cm × 10 cm) assisted in vertical strips with four genotypes (Pusa 9,712, PS 1347, DS 12–13, and DS 12–5) using a strip-plot design with three replications. Compared with standard methods of cultivation, the adoption of SCI at 45 cm × 45 cm resulted in a significantly higher stomatal conductance (0.211 mol H
2
O m
−2
s
−1
), transpiration rate (7.8 mmol H
2
O m
−2
s
−1
), and net photosynthetic rate (398 mol CO
2
m
−2
s
−1
). The implementation of an SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm had significantly greater intercepted photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) (1,249 mol m
−2
s
−1
) than the conventional method system, increasing crop yield from 9.6 to 13.3% and biomass yield from 8.2 to 10.7%. In addition, under an SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm, there were more nodules, significantly larger root volume and surface density, and increased NPK uptake compared with the other methods. Significantly greater soil dehydrogenase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, acetylene-reducing assay, total polysaccharides, microbial biomass carbon, and soil chlorophyll were found with SCI at 45 cm × 45 cm (13.63 g TPF g
−1
soil hr.
−1
, 93.2 g p-nitro phenol g
−1
soil hr.
−1
, 25.5 n moles ethylene g
−1
soil hr.
−1
, 443.7 mg kg
−1
soil, 216.5 mg kg
−1
soil, and 0.43 mg g
−1
soil, respectively). Therefore, the adoption of an SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm and/or 45 cm × 45 cm could provide the best environment for microbial activities and overall soil health, as well as the sustainable productivity of soybean aboveground.
Conventional agriculture is energy and carbon intensive. Single and double-crop basis residue-mulching in zero-tilled crop-sequences may minimize carbon-footprint with improved crop and energy ...productivity in water-scarce ecologies. Zn-fertilization is also vital for drought-stress tolerance besides enhanced productivity and quality in Zn-deficient arid-soils. Hence, we compared the single and double-crop basis residue-mulching alongwith Hydrogel and Zn-fertilization in zero-tilled pigeonpea-wheat system. Results showed that double-crop residue-mulching + Hydrogel exhibited ∼22.3 and 17.1% higher system-productivity over no-residue and single-crop residue-mulching plots while maintaining higher net-returns (1315 US$/ha). Crop-residue covering consumed considerable energy (77.3–89.1% of total consumption) and carbon (5–10 folds). Thick residue-cover (8 t/ha/year) under double-crop residue-mulching + Hydrogel exhibited significantly higher energy-output (238,328 MJ ha−1), energy-intensiveness (107.3 MJ/US$) and specific energy (20.15 MJ kg−1) compared to single-crop residue-mulching; whereas energy-use efficiency, energy productivity and profitability were higher under no-residue cover. Zn-fertilization (5 kg ha−1) alongwith Zn-solubilizer in both crops also enhanced the biomass and energy productivity over sole-Zn or no-Zn. Interestingly, carbon footprints increased with residue-covering (4–8 t/ha/year) while least under no-residues. Therefore, farmers should preserve a balance while mulching the residues in single or both crops besides necessitating Zn-fertilization in Zn-deficient arid and semi-arid regions where livestock equally competes for residues as quality fodder.
•Higher yield, energy output and profits in double-crop residue mulching in zero-tilled (ZT) sequence.•Zn plus Zn-solubilizer enhanced yield, profits and energy-use over sole use or no-Zn.•Crop residue covering consumed higher energy and carbon input and production costs.•Single-crop residue mulching more carbon and energy-use efficient over double-crop mulched plots.•Higher energy and carbon use efficiency in no-residue plots in ZT system.
Rice is known to be a nutrient exhaustive crop and the application of silicon (Si) has been reported for the better utilization of plant nutrients from the soil. Hence, the response of the plant to ...phosphorus (P) could be enhanced by co-fertilization of Si and P. The present study evaluates the dry matter accumulation, grain yield, nutrients uptake, and nutrient-use efficiency of Si and P application in aerobic rice. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India in a factorial randomized block design, the treatments comprised four levels of Si (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha
–1
) and P (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P
2
O
5
ha
–1
) application. The results revealed the significant effect of Si and P application on dry matter accumulation, grain yield, and nutrient uptake in aerobic rice. The dry matter accumulation and grain yield of aerobic rice was significantly higher with the combination of 120 kg Si and 90 kg P
2
O
5
ha
–1
closely followed by the combination of 80 kg Si and 60 kg P
2
O
5
ha
–1
. The rate of increase in dry matter accumulation due to different doses of Si and P ranged between 7.6 and 25.6 % over control. A strong positive relationship was observed between different doses of Si and P and concentrations and uptakes of different nutrients, barring zinc. Application of Si and P significantly enhanced the grain concentration of Si, nitrogen, P, and potassium by 25, 16.5, 47, and 25 %, respectively, over control. Overall, the addition of Si and P application in nutrient management could increase the productivity and nutrient use efficiency of aerobic rice.
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