SOIL AND RAINFALL CHARACTERIZATION OF GARHWA DISTRICT FOR CROP PLANNING
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Date
2016
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Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Abstract
Soil and rainfall have been characterized with a view to identify the crop growing
environment and planning of crops for normal, early and late drought conditions under
the present study "Soil and rainfall Characterization of Garhwa district for Crop
Planning" at block level. The area is predominantly under rainfed and facing vagaries of
rainfall like untimely onset of monsoon, scanty, uneven distribution and spatial
variability in rain over the years and frequent intermittent droughts during crop growth
period resulting low productivity in the district.
Soil samples collected from 8 blocks were analysed for important physical
(texture, bulk density, field capacity, permanent wilting point etc.), physico-chemical
(pH, Org. C) and chemical parameters (avail. N, P and K) were analysed for
characterising the soils. Daily rainfall data for 13 to 18 years of 8 blocks (Bhandaria,
Bhawnathpur, Dhurki, Garhwa, Majhiyaon, Meral, Nagar-untari and Ranka) collected
from the DSO and DAO office of Garhwa district were analysed. Rainfall data of the
blocks were analysed for weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual distribution.
Meteorological and Agricultural drought, initial and conditional probabilities, and
incomplete gamma probability of rainfall were also analysed using Weather Cock v1.0
software developed by coordinating unit of AICRP on Agrometeorology CRIDA,
Hyderabad.
Soils of Garhwa district were sandy loam to Sandy clay loam texture having 9.0
to 12.3 % available water. Soils were acidic to alkaline in reaction (pH : 5.0 - 7.9).
Fertility status in terms of organic matter was low to medium (0.35 - 0.58 %) range.
Available N was in medium (328.6 - 516.8 kg ha-1) while available P and K were in
medium to high (15.0 - 42.5 & 12.9 - 398.0 kg ha-1) range respectively.
A decreasing trend in annual rainfall was observed in all most all the blocks
except in Bhawnathpur where it was increasing by 20.2 mm per year. Among these sharp
decrease in rainfall was noticed in Bhandaria (-42.3 mm/yr) and almost consistent rain
was observed in Ranka and Meral. Monsoonal rain almost followed the trend of annual
rain. Among the seasons, monsoon received maximum rain (86-92 %) and only 8-14
percent rain was received in remaining three seasons (Post monsoon, Winter &
Summer).
Severity of meteorological drought analyzed for all 8 blocks indicated that
Bhandaria, Bhawnathpur, Manjhiyaon, Nagar-untari and Ranka did not faced any severe
drought while, Dhurki, Meral and Garhwa faced 1-2 years severe drought during current
13 years. Mild drought was rather more in Meral, Bhawnathpur, Dhurki, Garhwa and
Nagar-untari faced 1-2, Bhandaria 3, Ranka 4 and Manjhiyaon faced maximum 6 years
mild droughts. Agricultural drought were found to be more (15-38% years) under later
period (36-42 SMW) than early period (22-28 SMW).
Gamma distribution of rainfall at five levels of probabilities (90, 75, 50, 25 & 10
%) analysed at annual basis indicated assured rain on weekly basis at 50% probability as
more close to normal rain in all blocks of Garhwa district.
Initial probability for 10, 25 and 50 mm rain was observed 17, 13 and 3 SMW
respectively in most of the blocks during the monsoon season. Conditional probability
(>0.5) on wet/wet basis (P w/w) for 10, 25 and 50 mm rain was better in all the blocks
than that of initial probability. Except Garhwa all blocks exhibited wide range (25-38
SMW) for 25 mm rain probability. Probability of 50 mm rain was very good in Meral
(28-36 SMW) followed by Dhurki (29-35 SMW), Ranka (29-34 SMW), Bhandaria (28-
33 SMW), Bhawnathpur (29-33 SMW), Nagar-Untari (26-29 SMW). It exhibited very
less in Majhiyaon (31-33 SMW) and Garhwa (32-33 SMW).
Crop growing environment in terms of soil characteristics and weather variables
were analyzed separately for all 8 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.
Crops identified were maize, pigeon pea, urd bean, sorghum, soybean, Bajra and
g/nut both as sole or intercrops on upland under early drought condition. Both direct
seeded and transplanted short duration improved and hybrid rice on medium and
lowlands. Crops suitable for uplands were kulthi, niger, baby corn maize, fodder maize,
cow pea and mustard under late drought condition and baby corn, early potato on
medium and lowlands.
Description
SOIL AND RAINFALL CHARACTERIZATION OF GARHWA DISTRICT FOR CROP PLANNING
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