Effect of irrigation on tillering in wheat,triticale and barley in a water-limited environment

Summary The effect of irrigation on tillering and tiller mortality in varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum and T. durum), triticale and barley was studied under field conditions. Low temperature in the early stages of growth promoted production of tillers whereas increase in temperature during extension growth phase increased tiller mortality. More than 1000 tillers m^–2 were produced with five irrigations but 40% or more died. With limited water availability tiller production was reduced but so was their mortality. Grain yield in wheat and triticale was positively correlated with productive tillers and negatively correlated with the maximum number of tillers produced in wheat and barley grown under limited irrigation conditions. Varieties with a capacity to produce fewer tillers were identified. Some of them proved more stable in yield. No correlation was found between tiller number and grain yield in the frequently irrigated treatment.     

Kinematic-wave model for soil-moisture movement with plant-root extraction

A kinematic-wave model is developed for simulating the movement of soil moisture in unsaturated soils with plants. The model involves three free boundaries. Analytical solutions are derived when the plant roots are assumed to extract moisture at a constant rate and the upstream boundary condition is independent of time. Numerical solutions are the only resort when the moisture extraction and the upstream boundary condition both depend on time.     

An improved Lewis-Milne equation for the advance phase of border irrigation

Summary The Lewis-Milne (LM) equation has been widely applied for design of border irrigation systems. This equation is based on the concept of mass conservation while the momentum balance is replaced by the assumption of a constant surface water depth. Although this constant water depth depends on the inflow rate, slope and roughness of the infiltrating surface, no explicit relation has been derived for its estimation. Assuming negligible border slope, the present study theoretically treats the constant depth in the LM equation by utilizing the simple dam-break wave solution along with boundary layer theory. The wave front is analyzed separately from the rest of the advancing water by considering both friction and infiltration effects on the momentum balance. The resulting equations in their general form are too complicated for closed-form solutions. Solutions are therefore given for specialized cases and the mean depth of flow is presented as a function of the initial water depth at the inlet, the surface roughness and the rate of infiltration. The solution is calibrated and tested using experimental data.Abbreviations a (t) advance length - c mean depth in LM equation - c _f friction factor - c _h Chezy's friction coefficient - g acceleration due to gravity - h(x, t) water depth - h ₀ water depth at the upstream end - i() rate of infiltration - f(x, t) discharge - q₀ constant inflow discharge - S _f energy loss gradient or frictional slope - S₀ bed slope - t time - u(x, t) mean velocity along the water depth - x distance - Y() cumulative infiltration - (t) distance separating two flow regions - infiltration opportunity time     

Past, present and future criteria to breed crops for water-limited environments in West Africa

Asia's Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s has largely bypassed West Africa, and “modern” (high-yielding, input responsive) germplasm for staple crops has found comparatively little adoption, except for systems that are have good access to markets and sufficient water resources. It is unlikely, however, that breeding objectives conserving traditional crop characteristics as found in extensive systems would have been more successful. The authors identify systems caught in the agricultural transition from subsistence to intensified, market-oriented production as the most important target for crop improvement, and provide examples of new breeding objectives for cowpea, sorghum and upland rice. In each of these cases, breeders, with the help of physiologists, have developed innovative plant-type concepts that combine improved yield potential and input responsiveness with specific traditional crop characteristics that remain essential during the agricultural transition. In the case of cowpea, dual-purpose varieties were developed that produce a good grain yield due to an erect plant habit, then produce new leaves enabling a second harvest of green foliage. For upland rice systems that are limited by labour (mainly needed to control weeds that abound due to shortened fallow periods), a weed competitive plant type was developed from Oryza sativa × Oryza glaberrima crosses. Lastly, sorghum breeders who had previously deselected photoperiod sensitivity are now re-inserting sensitivity into plants having “modern” architecture, in order to allow for flexible sowing dates while maintaining an agro-ecologically optimal time of flowering near the end of the wet season. The ecophysiological basis of these plant types, their place in current and future cropping systems, as well as the problem of under-funding for their realisation, are discussed.     

Rice-residue biochar influences phosphorus availability in soil with contrasting P status

ABSTRACT

Thermo-chemical conversion of crop residues to produce biochar is an emerging strategy in the context of sustainable phosphorous (P) use and residue management. An incubation study for 90 d was conducted to investigate the effects of rice-residue biochar (0, 10, 20 and 40 g kg^?1) in combination with inorganic-P (KH₂PO₄) (0, 25 and 50 mg kg^?1) on phosphorous availability in medium- and high-P status soils. Increasing biochar addition rates alone or in combination with inorganic-P resulted in a significant increase in P pools, i.e. plant available P or Olsen-P (from 8 to 132 mg kg^?1 in medium-P and 15 to 160 mg kg^?1 in high-P soils), microbial biomass P and various mineral-bound inorganic-P fractions in the order (Ca-P > organic-P > Al-P > loosely held/soluble-P > Fe-P > reductant soluble-P). Further, lower phosphatase activity (19–50%) with increasing rates of biochar addition in both soils elucidates the ability of biochar to act as a long-term source of available P in the experimental soils. The results demonstrate that rice-residue biochar can directly or indirectly enhance the status of available P in soils and hence can be used as a beneficial amendment to meet the crop P demand.     

IMPACT OF SULFUR FERTILIZATION ON DIFFERENT FORMS AND BALANCE OF SOIL SULFUR AND THE NUTRITION OF WHEAT IN WHEAT-SOYBEAN CROPPING SEQUENCE IN TARAI SOIL

A field experiment was conducted at farmer's field in Mollisols of Tarai soils in Uttarakhand (India), to assess the direct and residual effect of sulfur fertilization in wheat-soybean cropping sequence. Four levels of sulfur (S; 0, 15, 30, and 45 kg ha^?1) were applied to main crop (wheat) along with recommended dose of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). The direct and residual effect of sulfur at highest level showed 27 and 6 percent increase in grain yield of wheat and soybean over control, respectively. The increase in grain yield of wheat was significant at each sulfur level. The direct as well as residual effect of sulfur showed significant increase in sulfur concentration and its uptake by grain and straw except increase in sulfur concentration and uptake by soybean straw. In wheat-soybean cropping sequence, the agronomic efficiency and apparent sulfur recovery decreased with increase in levels of sulfur, but the percent response increased with increasing sulfur application. Different forms of sulfur such as total sulfur, organic sulfur, calcium chloride extractable sulfur, potassium dihydrogen phosphate extractable sulfur, and non-sulfate sulfur in post-harvest soil increased according to sulfur level applied but it decreased under control and also after residual crops. The buildup of sulfur in surface soils was greater than in the deeper soils. Application of sulfur showed the positive sulfur balance and it increased with increase in sulfur level, while it was negative under control. A major portion (46–62%) of applied sulfur contributed to increase in sulfur content of root zone soil followed by unaccounted component (25–40%) and small portion (11–18%) was absorbed by wheat plant as uptake.     

Effect of Conditioning Zinc Sulfate Heptahydrate (ZnSHH) with Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Neem Oil on Growth,Productivity, Zinc Biofortification of Grain and Zinc Uptake by Basmati Rice

Commercial grade zinc (Zn) sulfate hepta hydrate (ZnSHH) is the most widely used source of Zn in India and several other countries for amelioration of Zn deficiency in crops. However, it releases water of hydration at temperature above 30°C and forms lumps on storage, which make it difficult to handle it and apply in fields. Therefore, conditioning of ZnSHH with ZnO and neem oil reduces the release of water of hydration and prevents lumps formation and can be well stored. Field experiments were conducted at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India during rice growing seasons (July-November) of 2009 and 2010 to study the effect of conditioning ZnSHH with ZnO and neem oil on growth, productivity and Zn fortification of rice (Oryza sativa) grain and uptake by Basmati rice ‘Pusa 1121’. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with 3 replications comprised of 9 treatments of Zn fertilization. The present study shows that when conditioned with 2% ZnO and 4% neem oil ZnSHH improved yield attributes, grain and straw yields, Zn uptake and partial factor productivity (PFP), agronomic efficiency (AE), recovery efficiency (RE), and physiological efficiency (PE) of Zn in Basmati rice ‘Pusa 1121’. In general, ZnO was inferior to ZnSHH. Application of ZnSHH conditioned with 2% ZnO and 4% neem oil can be a better source of Zn for transplanted puddled Basmati rice on Zn deficient soils.     

Tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization effects on soil nitrogen and cotton and sorghum yields

Sustainable soil and crop management practices that reduce soil erosion and nitrogen (N) leaching, conserve soil organic matter, and optimize cotton and sorghum yields still remain a challenge. We examined the influence of three tillage practices (no-till, strip till and chisel till), four cover crops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secaele cereale L.)], vetch/rye biculture and winter weeds or no cover crop}, and three N fertilization rates (0, 60–65 and 120–130 kg N ha⁻¹) on soil inorganic N content at the 0–30 cm depth and yields and N uptake of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. A field experiment was conducted on Dothan sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Plinthic Paleudults) from 1999 to 2002 in Georgia, USA. Nitrogen supplied by cover crops was greater with vetch and vetch/rye biculture than with rye and weeds. Soil inorganic N at the 0–10 and 10–30 cm depths increased with increasing N rate and were greater with vetch than with rye and weeds in April 2000 and 2002. Inorganic N at 0–10 cm was also greater with vetch than with rye in no-till, greater with vetch/rye than with rye and weeds in strip till, and greater with vetch than with rye and weeds in chisel till. In 2000, cotton lint yield and N uptake were greater in no-till with rye or 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in other treatments, but biomass (stems + leaves) yield and N uptake were greater with vetch and vetch/rye than with rye or weeds, and greater with 60 and 120 than with 0 kg N ha⁻¹. In 2001, sorghum grain yield, biomass yield, and N uptake were greater in strip till and chisel till than in no-till, and greater in vetch and vetch/rye with or without N than in rye and weeds with 0 or 65 kg N ha⁻¹. In 2002, cotton lint yield and N uptake were greater in chisel till, rye and weeds with 0 or 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in other treatments, but biomass N uptake was greater in vetch/rye with 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in rye and weeds with 0 or 60 kg N ha⁻¹. Increased N supplied by hairy vetch or 120–130 kg N ha⁻¹ increased soil N availability, sorghum grain yield, cotton and sorghum biomass yields, and N uptake but decreased cotton lint yield and lint N uptake compared with rye, weeds or 0 kg N ha⁻¹. Cotton and sorghum yields and N uptake can be optimized and potentials for soil erosion and N leaching can be reduced by using conservation tillage, such as no-till or strip till, with vetch/rye biculture cover crop and 60–65 kg N ha⁻¹. The results can be applied in regions where cover crops can be grown in the winter to reduce soil erosion and N leaching and where tillage intensity and N fertilization rates can be minimized to reduce the costs of energy requirement for tillage and N fertilization while optimizing crop production.     

Integrated effect of transplanting date, cultivar and irrigation on yield, water saving and water productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Indian Punjab: Field and simulation study

Individual effect of different field scale management interventions for water saving in rice viz. changing date of transplanting, cultivar and irrigation schedule on yield, water saving and water productivity is well documented in the literature. However, little is known about their integrated effect. To study that, field experimentation and modeling approach was used. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years (2006 and 2007) at Punjab Agricultural University Farm, Ludhiana on a deep alluvial loamy sand Typic Ustipsamment soils developed under hyper-thermic regime. Treatments included three dates of transplanting (25 May, 10 June and 25 June), two cultivars (PR 118 inbred and RH 257 hybrid) and two irrigation schedules (2-days drainage period and at soil water suction of 16 kPa). The model used was CropSyst, which has already been calibrated for growth (periodic biomass and LAI) of rice and soil water content in two independent experiments. The main findings of the field and simulation studies conducted are compared to any individual, integrated management of transplanting date, cultivar and irrigation, sustained yield (6.3-7.5 t ha⁻¹) and saved substantial amount of water in rice. For example, with two management interventions, i.e. shifting of transplanting date to lower evaporative demand (from 5 May to 25 June) concomitant with growing of short duration hybrid variety (90 days from transplanting to harvest), the total real water saving (wet saving) through reduction in evapotranspiration (ET) was 140 mm, which was almost double than managing the single, i.e. 66 mm by shifting transplanting or 71 mm by growing short duration hybrid variety. Shifting the transplanting date saved water through reduction in soil water evaporation component while growing of short duration variety through reduction in both evaporation and transpiration components of water balance. Managing irrigation water schedule based on soil water suction of 16 kPa at 15-20 cm soil depth, compared to 2-day drainage, did not save water in real (wet saving), however, it resulted into apparent water saving (dry saving). The real crop water productivity (marketable yield/ET) was more by 17% in 25th June transplanted rice than 25th May, 23% in short duration variety than long and 2% in irrigation treatment of 16 kPa soil water suction than 2-days drainage. The corresponding values for the apparent crop water productivity (marketable yield/irrigation water applied) were 16, 20 and 50%, respectively. Pooled experimental data of 2 years showed that with managing irrigation scheduling based on soil water suction of 16 kPa at 15-20 cm soil depth, though 700 mm irrigation water was saved but the associated yield was reduced by 277 kg ha⁻¹.