Browsing by Author "Dinesh Kumar Sharma"

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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Eco-physiological evaluation of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] - greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] intercropping system under rainfed condition
    (CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE ANDCLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTURE INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI, 2014) Varun Vishwasrao Kaje; Dinesh Kumar Sharma
    A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2013 at Experimental Farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. The experiment was laid out in factorial RBD with three replications. Treatment consist of three main plot as cropping systems - Sole pigeonpea, Pigeonpea + Green gram (1:1) and Pigeonpea + Green gram (1:2) with three sub-plot as control, hydrogel and mulching having nine treatment combinations to ascertain effect of cropping system and moisture conservation practices on crop growth, yield and yield attributes, microbial growth, crop physiological parameters, nutrient content, soil moisture studies and economics of pigeon pea and green gram under rainfed conditions. The cropping systems failed to cause any significant variation in growth attributes of pigeonpea and green gram. Similar result found in case of yield and yield attributes in both crops except no. of pod/plant found to be significant in pigeonpea. Data pertaining to growth attributes of pigeonpea and green gram such as plant height (cm), LAI were positively influenced by moisture conservation practices except that no. of branches/plant. Among the moisture conservation practices, mulching increased plant height and LAI by 8.2% and 11.4% over control whereas the hydrogel remains on par with control. In case of green gram, cropping systems showed non-significant effect on plant height and LAI whereas moisture conservation practices i.e. mulching had significantly increased plant height and LAI by 24.2% and 10.8% over control. The cropping system had no effect on uptake of N, P, K and S but positively influenced by moisture conservation practices in pigeonpea crop. Among the different moisture conservation practices mulching significantly increased N, P, K and S uptake in seed (43.4%, 44.3%, 44.2% and 43.9% respectively) and stalk (31.8%, 34.2%, 32.5% and 33.8% respectively) over control which was followed by hydrogel. Among moisture conservation practices mulching gave significantly higher net photosynthetic rate as well as instantaneous water use efficiency over control under both pigeonpea and green gram. Bacterial and fungal population increased in mulch treatment by 28.8% and 32.4% respectively over control. Among the moisture conservation practices, mulching recorded significantly higher soil moisture percentage as compared to hydrogel and control. Among the moisture conservation practices mulching gave higher pigeonpea 100 yield i.e. seed yield (5.48 q ha-1 ), stalk yield (20.26 q ha-1 ) and biological yield (25.74 q ha-1 ) which was followed by hydrogel whereas green gram yield under mulching results in higher seed yield (4.12 q ha-1 ) Stover yield (12.09 q ha-1 ) as compared to control seed yield (3.53 q ha-1 ) stalk yield (10.84 q ha-1 ) and hydrogel seed yield (3.70 q ha-1 ) stalk yield (10.57 q ha-1 ). Mulching treatments provided a seed yield advantage of 41.9% and 14.3% in pigeonpea and green gram respectively compared to control. Pigeonpea + green gram intercropping system fetched higher net returns (Rs. 24289) as well as B: C ratio (2.32) over sole pigeonpea due to more combined yield. Similarly moisture conservation practices brought about considerable variation in net return and B: C ratio in the experiment. Maximum net returns (Rs. 21492) and B: C ratio (2.06) was recorded with mulch over control B: C ratio (1.87) and net returns (Rs. 13355)
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT IRRIGATION ON SOIL HEALTH AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY IN DAURALA BLOCK OF UTTARPRADESH
    (IARI, DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, 2011) SAUBHAGYA RANJAN PANDA; Dinesh Kumar Sharma
    Sugar industries play an important role in the economic development of the Indian sub continent, but the effluents released produce a high degree of organic pollution in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. India has around 300 distilleries with a total installed capacity of 3250 million litres per annum and a current yearly production of 2300 million litres alcohol. Molasses, containing 8 per cent of sugar, serves as a cheap source of raw material for the production of alcohol. For the production of every litre of alcohol, nearly 14 to 15 litres of effluent is discharged, thus every day 1000’s of litres of effluent are discharged from the factory. In distillery industry, spent wash (effluent) obtained from yeast fermented molasses after removal of rectified spirit. The RSW is highly acidic and contains easily oxidisable organic matter with very high BOD, COD. Also, spent wash contains highest content of organic nitrogen and nutrients. This effluent along with high organic matter and potassium contents has significant levels of nitrogen which are important ingredient to soil fertility. Along with easily biodegradable organic matter, it also contains plant growth promoters like gibberellic acid (GA) and indol acetic acid (IAA).A study was carried out to assess the long-term application of secondary treated effluent to soil and its consequent impact on nutrient build up and crop yield of wheat. The study area comprised of 14 farmers’ fields (7 distilley effluent and 7 ground water irrigated fields) situated in Daurala in the district of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India,(Fig. 1) where a molasses-based distillery with the capacity of 300 KL alcohol per day is operating for the last 30 years. Seven farmers were chosen with fields close to each other (PMDE-amended), located near the distillery, where effluent was used as irrigation source for last 10 years at the rate of about 200 m3 ha−1 as pre-sown irrigation. Another set of seven farmers were chosen whose fields were close to each other (unamended-control), located 1 km away from the distillery, where no effluent was applied and irrigation was provided only from groundwater. First the effluent was analysed for its constituents then the two set of fields were analysed for its nutrient content of primary, secondary and micronutrients, and the uptake pattern of micronutrients in wheat grown in the two set of fields. It was observed that Two to three times application of dilute secondary effluent as a source of presown irrigation and subsequent irrigation with good water on a long term basis will sustain the yield level of wheat; along with bringing down the cost of cultivation of farmer by enriching the soil with many nutrients. Dilute doses of effluent application for a long period will gradually build up the soil N , K, organic carbon ,Ca, Mg, and with practically no increase in phosphorous content but act as an enhancer of soil micronutrients like Fe, Mn, Zn, which was ultimately reflected in nutrient enrichment of grain.