Deficiency of Zn in human diet is an emerging health issue in many developing countries across th... more Deficiency of Zn in human diet is an emerging health issue in many developing countries across the globe. Agronomic Zn biofortification using diverse Zn fertilization options is being advised for enhancing Zn concentration in the edible portion of rice.A field study was carried out to find out the Zn fertilization effects on biofortification of basmati rice and nutrient use efficiencies in the Himalayan foothills region. Amongst the Zn nutrition treatments, 4.0% Zn-coated urea (ZnCU) + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (FS) using ZnSO4·7H2O recorded the highest grain (3.46 t/ha) and straw (7.93 t/ha) yield of basmati rice. On average, the rice productivity increase due to ZnCU application was ~25.4% over Commercial Urea. Likewise, the same Zn fertilization treatment also resulted in the maximum Zn (35.93 and 81.64 mg/kg) and N (1.19 and 0.45%) concentration in grain and straw of rice, respectively. Moreover, N use efficiency (NUE) was also highest when ZnCU was applied at 4.0% (ZnSO4·7H2O) in co...
In this study, some important chemical parameters of underground water of the area were evaluated... more In this study, some important chemical parameters of underground water of the area were evaluated for the criteria of irrigation water quality. Higher values of pH, EC, SAR and RSC make the underground water unfit for irrigation purposes. One hundred fifty underground irrigation water samples were collected from various tehsils of Nagaur district during 2018-19. Based on salinity the classes of irrigation water were recorded normal water (0.66%), Low salinity water (39.34%), Medium salinity water (60%) and based on sodicity the classes of irrigation water were recorded normal water (2%), Low sodicity water (74.66%), medium sodicity water (23.34%) and based on alkalinity the classes of irrigation water were recorded non alkaline water (30%), Normal water (2%), Low alkalinity water (44.66%), medium alkalinity water (16%), high alkalinity water (7.34%). Majority of the water samples are fall under low to medium suitable category of water for irrigation purposes.
Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the "Effect of zinc ferti-fortification on yield and q... more Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the "Effect of zinc ferti-fortification on yield and quality of basmati rice (O. sativa L.) under subtropical region of Jammu" at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Chatha, Jammu during kharif season 2015. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 12 treatments and three replications. The nutrient uptake by rice crop in terms of N, P, K and Zn was significantly influenced by different Zn-fertilization treatments. Significantly highest N, P, K and Zn uptake by grain and straw was recorded with the application of 4% Zn through ZnSO4.7H2O coated urea + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (ZnSO4.7H2O) + recommended P2O5 and K2O. The different zinc fortification treatments showed non-significant effect on soil fertility status after crop harvesting. Our results clearly indicated that application of 4% Zn through ZnSO4.7H2O coated urea + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (ZnSO4.7H2O) + recommended P2O5 and K2O is excellent sources of N and Zn for vital for the nutrient turnover, which improved long-term productivity of Basmati rice.
Two major approaches to improving and sustaining high agricultural productivity in saline/alkali ... more Two major approaches to improving and sustaining high agricultural productivity in saline/alkali environment involves (i) modifying the environment to suit the available plants and (ii) modifying the plants to suit the existing environment. They could be used in substitutional as also in inclusive mode to make possible the productive utilization of poor quality water without compromising the sustainability of the production resource based at different levels of management units. Some of these issues, as related to the use of marginal quality water both at field and irrigation system levels are highlighted. An overview of the results of field studies encompassing areas with low to moderate monsoonal rainfall (400-600 mm) and underlain by saline/alkali water, supplemented with deficit canal water supplies, sufficient only to meet 40-50 percent of irrigation requirements shows that there are good possibilities of achieving reasonably high water productivity on sustainable basis by appropriate technological interventions. The important interventions include; in-situ conservation of rainwater in precisely leveled fields, blending saline/alkali and fresh waters to keep the resultant salinity below threshold or their amelioration, if residual sodium carbonate cannot be brought down to acceptable levels by dilution blending or cyclic application and scheduling irrigation with salty water at less salt sensitive stages. In high water table areas, provision of sub-surface drainage facilitates the use of higher salinity water, reducing the overall irrigation requirement. At higher levels of irrigation system, water productivity in saline environment has been found to increase by reallocation of water to higher value crops with limited irrigation requirement, spatial reallocation and transfer of water adopting policies that favour development of water markets and reducing mineralization of fresh water by minimizing application and conveyance losses that find path to saline aquifers. In spite of the technological advances that mitigate salinity damages and the likely economic advantages, there is always a need to exercise caution while practicing irrigation with salty water for maintaining sustained productivity.
The soil sustains most living organisms, being the ultimate source of their mineral nutrients. On... more The soil sustains most living organisms, being the ultimate source of their mineral nutrients. On croplands, tillage is the most important practice, which can have a major effect on the carbon pool, either negative with conventional plowing or positive, when No-tillage is applied. No-tillage practices claim to reverse historical carbon loss from soils, thereby reducing CO2 in the atmosphere through storage in soil sinks-a process known as sequestration. Carbon sequestration and an increase in soil organic matter will have a direct positive impact on soil quality and fertility. There will also be major positive effects on the environment, and on the resilience and sustainability of agriculture. Moreover, Attention to NPK is desirable because 89% of Indian soils are low to medium in available N, 80% are low to medium in available P and 50% are low to medium in available K. Therefore, it is essential to apply NPK and other secondary and micronutrients in adequate and balanced amounts. This information can be used by extension and private-sector consultants to promote the use of soil management practices for sustaining soil health that result in increased soil carbon, improving soil quality and productivity in the long term and enhancing profitability of producers.
A field experiment was conducted during two Kharif seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the research farm ... more A field experiment was conducted during two Kharif seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the effect of Safe Rock Mineral (SRM) on productivity and quality of rice in rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with three replications involving two rice (Oryza sativa) establishment methods (aerobic rice and transplanted rice) and six crop nutrition levels on rice-wheat sequence. The results indicate that, in general transplanted rice performed comparatively better in terms of growth, yield and quality parameters compared to aerobic rice. Different nutritional level improved the productivity of rice and succeeding wheat crop in both the years significantly. Among nutrient management practices, highest plant growth, yield attributes and yield of rice were obtained with the application of SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 100% RDF and it was followed by No SRM application + 100% RDF, SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 50% RDF (Chemical) + 25% RDF (Organic-FYM) and SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 50% RDF (Organic-FYM). Integrated nutrient management with SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 100% RDF increased grain protein content significantly over only SRM application @ 250 kg/ha. An increase of 16.42% and 18.07% in grain protein was recorded under aerobic and transplanted method of rice, respectively. It was concluded that integrated application of SRM @ 250 kg/ha + 100% RDF gave the highest growth and productivity of rice and with this treatment grain yield was 32.2% and 32.9% higher than only SRM application at @ 250 kg/ha under aerobic and transplanted conditions respectively.
Deficiency of Zn in human diet is an emerging health issue in many developing countries across th... more Deficiency of Zn in human diet is an emerging health issue in many developing countries across the globe. Agronomic Zn biofortification using diverse Zn fertilization options is being advised for enhancing Zn concentration in the edible portion of rice.A field study was carried out to find out the Zn fertilization effects on biofortification of basmati rice and nutrient use efficiencies in the Himalayan foothills region. Amongst the Zn nutrition treatments, 4.0% Zn-coated urea (ZnCU) + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (FS) using ZnSO4·7H2O recorded the highest grain (3.46 t/ha) and straw (7.93 t/ha) yield of basmati rice. On average, the rice productivity increase due to ZnCU application was ~25.4% over Commercial Urea. Likewise, the same Zn fertilization treatment also resulted in the maximum Zn (35.93 and 81.64 mg/kg) and N (1.19 and 0.45%) concentration in grain and straw of rice, respectively. Moreover, N use efficiency (NUE) was also highest when ZnCU was applied at 4.0% (ZnSO4·7H2O) in co...
In this study, some important chemical parameters of underground water of the area were evaluated... more In this study, some important chemical parameters of underground water of the area were evaluated for the criteria of irrigation water quality. Higher values of pH, EC, SAR and RSC make the underground water unfit for irrigation purposes. One hundred fifty underground irrigation water samples were collected from various tehsils of Nagaur district during 2018-19. Based on salinity the classes of irrigation water were recorded normal water (0.66%), Low salinity water (39.34%), Medium salinity water (60%) and based on sodicity the classes of irrigation water were recorded normal water (2%), Low sodicity water (74.66%), medium sodicity water (23.34%) and based on alkalinity the classes of irrigation water were recorded non alkaline water (30%), Normal water (2%), Low alkalinity water (44.66%), medium alkalinity water (16%), high alkalinity water (7.34%). Majority of the water samples are fall under low to medium suitable category of water for irrigation purposes.
Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the "Effect of zinc ferti-fortification on yield and q... more Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the "Effect of zinc ferti-fortification on yield and quality of basmati rice (O. sativa L.) under subtropical region of Jammu" at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Chatha, Jammu during kharif season 2015. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 12 treatments and three replications. The nutrient uptake by rice crop in terms of N, P, K and Zn was significantly influenced by different Zn-fertilization treatments. Significantly highest N, P, K and Zn uptake by grain and straw was recorded with the application of 4% Zn through ZnSO4.7H2O coated urea + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (ZnSO4.7H2O) + recommended P2O5 and K2O. The different zinc fortification treatments showed non-significant effect on soil fertility status after crop harvesting. Our results clearly indicated that application of 4% Zn through ZnSO4.7H2O coated urea + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (ZnSO4.7H2O) + recommended P2O5 and K2O is excellent sources of N and Zn for vital for the nutrient turnover, which improved long-term productivity of Basmati rice.
Two major approaches to improving and sustaining high agricultural productivity in saline/alkali ... more Two major approaches to improving and sustaining high agricultural productivity in saline/alkali environment involves (i) modifying the environment to suit the available plants and (ii) modifying the plants to suit the existing environment. They could be used in substitutional as also in inclusive mode to make possible the productive utilization of poor quality water without compromising the sustainability of the production resource based at different levels of management units. Some of these issues, as related to the use of marginal quality water both at field and irrigation system levels are highlighted. An overview of the results of field studies encompassing areas with low to moderate monsoonal rainfall (400-600 mm) and underlain by saline/alkali water, supplemented with deficit canal water supplies, sufficient only to meet 40-50 percent of irrigation requirements shows that there are good possibilities of achieving reasonably high water productivity on sustainable basis by appropriate technological interventions. The important interventions include; in-situ conservation of rainwater in precisely leveled fields, blending saline/alkali and fresh waters to keep the resultant salinity below threshold or their amelioration, if residual sodium carbonate cannot be brought down to acceptable levels by dilution blending or cyclic application and scheduling irrigation with salty water at less salt sensitive stages. In high water table areas, provision of sub-surface drainage facilitates the use of higher salinity water, reducing the overall irrigation requirement. At higher levels of irrigation system, water productivity in saline environment has been found to increase by reallocation of water to higher value crops with limited irrigation requirement, spatial reallocation and transfer of water adopting policies that favour development of water markets and reducing mineralization of fresh water by minimizing application and conveyance losses that find path to saline aquifers. In spite of the technological advances that mitigate salinity damages and the likely economic advantages, there is always a need to exercise caution while practicing irrigation with salty water for maintaining sustained productivity.
The soil sustains most living organisms, being the ultimate source of their mineral nutrients. On... more The soil sustains most living organisms, being the ultimate source of their mineral nutrients. On croplands, tillage is the most important practice, which can have a major effect on the carbon pool, either negative with conventional plowing or positive, when No-tillage is applied. No-tillage practices claim to reverse historical carbon loss from soils, thereby reducing CO2 in the atmosphere through storage in soil sinks-a process known as sequestration. Carbon sequestration and an increase in soil organic matter will have a direct positive impact on soil quality and fertility. There will also be major positive effects on the environment, and on the resilience and sustainability of agriculture. Moreover, Attention to NPK is desirable because 89% of Indian soils are low to medium in available N, 80% are low to medium in available P and 50% are low to medium in available K. Therefore, it is essential to apply NPK and other secondary and micronutrients in adequate and balanced amounts. This information can be used by extension and private-sector consultants to promote the use of soil management practices for sustaining soil health that result in increased soil carbon, improving soil quality and productivity in the long term and enhancing profitability of producers.
A field experiment was conducted during two Kharif seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the research farm ... more A field experiment was conducted during two Kharif seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the effect of Safe Rock Mineral (SRM) on productivity and quality of rice in rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with three replications involving two rice (Oryza sativa) establishment methods (aerobic rice and transplanted rice) and six crop nutrition levels on rice-wheat sequence. The results indicate that, in general transplanted rice performed comparatively better in terms of growth, yield and quality parameters compared to aerobic rice. Different nutritional level improved the productivity of rice and succeeding wheat crop in both the years significantly. Among nutrient management practices, highest plant growth, yield attributes and yield of rice were obtained with the application of SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 100% RDF and it was followed by No SRM application + 100% RDF, SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 50% RDF (Chemical) + 25% RDF (Organic-FYM) and SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 50% RDF (Organic-FYM). Integrated nutrient management with SRM application @ 250 kg/ha + 100% RDF increased grain protein content significantly over only SRM application @ 250 kg/ha. An increase of 16.42% and 18.07% in grain protein was recorded under aerobic and transplanted method of rice, respectively. It was concluded that integrated application of SRM @ 250 kg/ha + 100% RDF gave the highest growth and productivity of rice and with this treatment grain yield was 32.2% and 32.9% higher than only SRM application at @ 250 kg/ha under aerobic and transplanted conditions respectively.
Uploads
Papers by RAMESH C BANA