Ramesh KumarSatya Pragyan Kar2023-11-082023-11-082023https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810200665Indian agriculture is mostly rainfed, which is distress prone and climate- vulnerable to an extent of about 60 percent. Rainfall is the first and foremost climatic parameter which primarily affects crop yield in rainfed agriculture. The unpredictability of monsoonal rainfall significantly influences agricultural productivity. The beginning, end, and duration of the growing season, as well as the patterns of dry and wet periods during the season, are thus important details for agricultural crop planning. Agriculture in Odisha is reliant on the start of the monsoon and the distribution of rainfall during the crop-growing season. The agricultural planning used in the rainfed region are therefore governed by its quantity and spatial variability of rainfall. Taking these facts into consideration, the current study was conducted to plan the crop for the Cuttack district of Odisha based on the characteristics of the soil and rainfall. Three to four Soil samples collected from fourteen blocks of Cuttack district from 0-30 cm depth were analyzed for various physico-chemical 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 34 years (1988-2021) of 14 blocks of district collected from Cuttack were analyzed for weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual distribution and other analyses, viz. meteorological drought, initial and conditional probabilities, Agricultural drought, and Incomplete gamma probability, were computed using software (Weathercock v1.0) developed by the coordinating unit of AICRP on Agrometeorology, CRIDA, Hyderabad. The soils were nearly coarse in texture i.e, sandy clay loam to sandy loam in most of the blocks. Bulk density and other soil moisture retention parameters (FC, PWP and Av. water) followed the trend of mechanical separates and the textural class. Almost uniform soil reaction were observed among the blocks. It varied from slightly acidic (6.3) to slightly alkaline (7.9) in the blocks of Cuttack. Fertility level in terms of organic matter was in low to medium (3.1- 6.4 g kg-1), available N from low to medium (209 - 432 kg ha-1), available P from low to high (4.2-147.5 kg ha-1) range, and available K from 140.0 to 431.6 kg ha-1 (i.e. medium to high) was noticed in all the blocks. Annual and Monsoonal rainfall showed a increasing trend ranging from 3.32 to 34.8 mm yr-1 and 1.10 to 26.5 mm yr-1 in 9 out of 14 blocks respectively. Among the seasons, monsoon received maximum rain (76.1 %), and only 23.9 percent of rain was received in the remaining three seasons (post monsoon, winter & summer). Rainfall variability in CV% was noticed maximum in rabi season (126.9-176.4 %) than in Kharif (45.3-60.6 %). Initial and conditional probability in terms of P(W) and P(W/W) above 0.5 level for 20 mm rain has been observed from 24 to 40 SMW in most blocks. The 50 mm limit has been observed from 29-37 SMW in Cuttack Sadar, Salepur, Tangi Choudwar and the rest of the blocks have a limit of 25-38 SWM. The meteorological drought severity was analyzed for all fourteen blocks indicated that Kantapada, Niali and Nischintakoili faced only two year of severe drought while some other blocks had one year of severe drought. Moderate drought was observed maximum of 8 years in Banki and Damapada, while (2-6 years) moderate drought was observed in the rest of the blocks. During the period, no drought was observed between 26 to 31 years in the blocks. Early (22-28 SMW), middle (29-35 SMW) and late (36-42 SMW) season agricultural drought was observed maximum in Narasinghpur (i.e. 50 %), Salepur (47 %) and Kantapada and Banki-Damapada (41 %). The rest of the blocks have (18-38%) early, middle, and late agricultural drought. Mid and late season agricultural drought was noticed in all the blocks of the Cuttack district. Gamma distribution of rainfall at five levels (90, 75, 50, 20 & 10 %) clearly indicated that annual rain is close to 50 percent probability in all blocks of Cuttack. Crop growing environments in terms of soil characteristics and weather variables were analyzed separately for all fourteen blocks. Planning of crops with suitable varieties was identified for normal, early, mid and late drought conditions based on rainfall characteristics, temperature, humidity, and soil parameters for kharif and early season rabi crops. Under the crop plan, besides the improved and hybrid rice varieties, some local and promising varieties have also been incorporated as the farmers are well satisfied with the varieties. Some crops like fodder crops (Mesta, roselle, rice bean and cowpea) have also been incorporated in some blocks depending upon the farmers' choices. Under drought condition short duration varieties like Hira, Jaladidhan, Anjali, Vandana, Sneha of rice, Jute, Pigeonpea, Blackgram, Greengram, Sesame, Horsegram, Niger, Brinjal, Okra, Radish, Cabbage and Cauliflower have been suggested to grow as a sole crop or in combinations as intercrop. As there are 10 to 12 % rainfall found in rabi and summer season, we can go for a crop planning for cuttack district. In rabi season, mostly vegetable crops like onion, tomato, brinjal, cucurbits, cauliflower, potato, chilli etc. can be grown with some major rabi season cereal and oilseeds crops (wheat, maize, mustard). Similarly, watermelon, muskmelon and cucumber can be grown in summer season in all the blocks of cuttack district.EnglishThesis