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Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi

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20183
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Subject: Agricultural Meteorology × End date: 2018 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    AGROCLIMATIC CHARACTERIZATION OF GUMLA DISTRICT FOR CROP PLANNING
    (Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand-6, 2018) Ekka, Abhijeet Pankaj; Kumari, Pragyan
    Agriculture is one of the most climate-sensitive sector among all the economic sectors. Despite ongoing improvements in technology and crop varieties, weather and climate remain uncontrollable factors affecting the quantity and quality of agricultural production. The timely onset of monsoon rain and its distribution during June and July decides the area coverage of rainfed crops. Indian agriculture, with 80% of farmers being smallholders (less than 0.5 ha), is monsoon-dependent, rainfed agriculture (58%) and about 30% of population is undernourished, malnourished, migrates from rural to urban regions. Agriculture has become more vulnerable to changed climate or variability situations, huge population is dependent on agriculture. Reduced food grain productivity, loss to vegetable and fruit crops, fodder scarcity, shortage of drinking water to animals during summer, forced migration, severe loss to poultry and fishery sectors have been registered and are threatening the livelihoods of rural poor. In order to minimize these risks, an attempt to study the agroclimate of Gumla district has been carried out for proper crop planning at block level. Of all the climatic factors, rainfall is of greatest concern to population in rainfed agriculture. The variation of monsoonal and annual rainfall in space and time are well known and this inter-annual variability of monsoonal rainfall has considerable impact on agricultural production, water management, energy generation and economic growth. Analysis of annual, seasonal and monthly rainfall of a region is useful to design water harvesting structure. Similarly weekly rainfall analysis give more useful information in crop planning .The cropping patterns are basically dependent on assured rainfall, length of growing period and Moisture Availability Index (MAI). The mean annual rainfall for Gumla is 1096.5 mm and the annual rainfall showed an increasing trend of 6.35 mm/year whereas the maximum rainfall distribution is observed during July and August. Lowest and highest rainfall receiving blocks are Basia (732.1mm) and Raidih (1502.9mm) with 35% and 37% CV, respectively. An increasing trend of maximum temperatures has been observed with stable sunshine hours whereas minimum temperature and relative humidity showed a decreasing trend. Gumla district is prone to mild drought (40.5%) which is maximum at Ghaghra followed by moderate drought observed maximum at Kamdara. Severe drought is observed in Basia and Raidih once in 17 years. Occurrence of Agricultural drought was mostly during early and late season. Sisai block faced maximum early drought, maximum mid season drought at Bishunpur and Gumla affected by late season drought. Initial probability of getting 10, 20 and 50 mm rainfall, above 50%, varies from 16 weeks, 13 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively for different blocks of the district. Most of the blocks come under dry to slightly moist and moist climatic type depending on the land situation whereas Basia and Kamdara come under semi slightly dry climatic condition. Water surplus in Basia and Kamdara are almost negligible in Upland and Don III and very little water can be harvested from Don II and Done I. Water surplus was observed in Raidih followed by Palkot and can be harvested more from all land situations. Productivity of Rice, Maize, Ragi, Wheat and Potato are increasing in Gumla district and is a potential area for Ragi and Potato. For doubling the farmer’s income under available moisture status of different block of the districts there is need to change the cropping pattern and introduce Maize-Potato in cropping system. Short duration varieties are recommended for major crops in the district such as Sahbhagi, Naveen and Anjali for Rice, Birsa makka-1 and Suwan for Miaze, Birsa marua-2, A- 404 for Ragi, K-9107, HDR-77 for wheat, Kufri lima, Kufri surya for potato and Birsa shivam, Shiwani for oilseeds which are of short duration(60 to 90 days) to avoid moisture stress. Gumla has greater chance for water surplus during rainy season thus offer opportunity for water harvesting and supplemented irrigation to mitigate drought. It can prove beneficial for successive rabi crops also.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    SOIL AND RAINFALL CHARACTERIZATION OF SARAIKELAKHARSAWAN DISTRICT FOR CROP PLANNING
    (Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand-6, 2018) Hansdah, Raj Kiran; Kumar, Ramesh
    Rainfed agriculture in India is practiced over 58 per cent of cultivated areas and contributes 40 per cent of country’s food production. India as a whole and Jharkhand in particular depends on the onset of monsoon and rainfall distribution during crop growth season. The annual and seasonal rainfall received and its variability directly influences the success or failure of crops. Therefore, its amount, time of occurrence, and spatial variability governs the agricultural practices adopted in the rainfed region. Occurrence of continuous dry spell in monsoon season is a common phenomenon. Detailed knowledge of the rainfall pattern and soil properties helps in crop planning and designing in different soil condition (Upland, Medium land and Low land). Keeping these facts in view the present study was undertaken with a view to plan the crop based on soil and rainfall characteristics for Saraikel-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand. Soil samples collected from upland, medium land and low land from all 9 blocks of Saraikela-Kharsawan district from 0 - 30cm depth were analysed for physical properties (viz. soil texture, bulk density, field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water capacity) and chemical properties (pH, organic carbon, available N, P and K). Daily rainfall data for 17 years (2001- 2017) of 9 blocks collected from the DAO Saraikela-Kharsawan were analysed for weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual distribution and other analysis viz. Meteorological drought, Initial and Conditional probabilities, Agricultural drought and Incomplete gamma probability were made using software (Weather Cock v1.0) developed by coordinating unit of AICRP on Agrometeorology CRIDA, Hyderabad. Soil of the district are majorly in sandy loam to loam in texture on upland and medium lands and Sandy clay loam to clay loam on lowlands. Bulk density and other soil moisture retention parameters (FC, PWP and Av. water) followed the trend of mechanical separates as well as the textural class. Wide fluctuations in soil reaction were observed among the blocks. It varied from highly acidic (4.6) to alkaline (7.5) in the blocks of Saraikela-Kharsawan district. Fertility level in terms of organic matter was in low to high (0.39 - 0.86 %) and available N and P were in low to medium (240 - 475 and 11.6 - 22.5 kg ha-1 respectively) range, while K was noticed in the ranged of 46.9 to 412.3 kg ha-1 in the block. An overall increasing trend in annual and seasonal rainfall was observed in all blocks except in Kharsawan where it was slightly decreasing (i.e. -3.7 mm/yr in annual and -8.1 mm/yr in seasonal). Among the seasons, monsoon received maximum rain (85-89%) and only 11-15 % rain was received in remaining three seasons (Post monsoon, Winter & Summer). Rainfall variability in terms of CV% was notice maximum in rabi season (118-157%) than that of kharif (18-39%). Initial and conditional probability in terms of P(W) and P(W/W) above of 0.5 level for 20 mm rain has been observed from 24 to 38th SMW in most of the blocks. For 50 mm limit it has been observed from 25-35th SMW in Kharsawan and Kuchai and in rest of the blocks it has been noticed in 4-6 weeks during kharif. Water balance study for all three situations indicated dry to moist weather condition prevailed. Severity of meteorological drought analyzed for all 9 blocks indicated that Chandil, Gamhria, Ichanagar, Kurku, Nimdih, Rajnagar and Saraikela faced only one year severe drought while no severe drought was observed in Kharsawan and Kuchai. Moderate drought was observed maximum (6 year) in Gamharia, while mild drought was maximum (7 years) Kharsawan. No drought was observed between 8 to 14 years in the blocks during the period. Early (22-28th SMW), middle (29-35th SMW) and late (36-42th SMW) season agricultural drought was observed maximum in Rajnagar (i.e. 35%), Nimdih (24%) and Gamharia and Rajnagar (29%). No mid season agricultural drought was noticed in Kharsawan. Gamma distribution of rainfall at five levels of probabilities (90, 75, 50, 20 & 10 %) analysed at annual and weekly basis for all blocks of Saraikela-kharsawan. Assured rain on weekly basis at 50% probability was more close to normal rain in all blocks of Saraikela- Kharsawan. Crop growing environment in terms of soil characteristics and weather variables were analyzed separately for all 9 blocks. Planning of crops with suitable varieties were identified for normal, early and late drought conditions based on rainfall characteristics, temperature, humidity and soil parameters for kharif and early season rabi crops. Under crop plan, besides the improved and hybrid varieties of rice, some local and promising varieties have also been incorporated as the farmers are well satisfied with the varieties. Some crops like sugarcane and fodder crops (berseem, fodder maize, cowpea etc.) have also been incorporated in some blocks depending upon the need of the farmers. On uplands, Maize, Pigeon pea, Urd(black gram), Moong(green gram), Ground nut, soybean, seasamum and Lady’s finger have been suggested to grow as sole crop or in combinations as intercrop.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    CROP WATER REQUIREMENT AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF CAULIFLOWER UNDER MULCHING AND DRIP IRRIGATION
    (Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand-6, 2018) BARA, AKASH DEEP; Kumari, Pragyan