Studies on Optimization of Production Factors under Resource Constraints in North Eastern Dry Zone of Karnataka, India

Studies on Optimization of Production Factors under Resource Constraints in North Eastern Dry Zone of Karnataka, India

D. H. Patil^* , Pandit S. Rathod , Yusufali, Shreenivas B V , Manjunath Patil , Zaheer Ahamed B

Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kalaburagi-585 101, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur-585 101, Karnataka India

Corresponding Author Email: dhpatil_uas@rediffmail.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.53709/CHE.2020.v01i01.028

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION

Sorghum forms an important dietary staple for millions of population in the world, especially in the subtropical and semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa. It is an important source of food and fodder, mostly in the traditional, smallholder farming sector [10]. Recently, it holds a significant place in the commercial farming sector as a feed crop, and is rapidly growing as a biofuel crop [9]. Sorghum is one of the major cereal crops consumed in India after rice and wheat. But the production of sorghum is limited to few states. Major production of sorghum in the country comes from the Southern states viz., Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh [7]. At present Karnataka is the second largest state after Maharashtra having an area of 9.43 lakh hectare with production of 8.92 lakh tonnes and a productivity of 1475 kg/ha. Substantial improvement in yield can be brought by using high yielding varieties and hybrids coupled with use of organic and inorganic manures with irrigated condition of rabi sorghum [15]. Increase in productivity of sorghumis the result of genetic improvement as well as associated management intervention in a rainfed environment [6]. Though several production technologies have been released for the use of farmers but in most cases farmers have adopted only in partial. Sorghum has been known for being nutrient-use efficient and managed with low fertilizer rates. However, the productivity of sorghum genotypes is low because of poor management and least resource allocation [7]. Adequate management of inputs like application of balanced fertilizers, bio-fertilizers and manures, proper management of weeds, insect-pests and diseases, timely and adequate water management are the key factors for optimization of crop production [3], [6] and [13]. However, under shortage of resources especially under dry land areas, economically weak farmers are compelled to omit some of the important inputs in crop production. So, it is essential to evaluate the effect of resource constraints in sorghum production and prioritise inputs in improving the yield in Northern Karnataka.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kalaburagi on optimization of production factors under resource constraints (priority inputs in rabi sorghum). The experiment was laid out with Complete Randomized Block Design replicated thrice. There were nine treatments. The treatments comprised T1 : Control (only improved variety without any input) T2: Full package of practices (FPP (Protective irrigation+ fertilizer (RDF) + Weed control (Herbicides and Hand Weeding)+Plant protection (application of insecticide and fungicides seed treatments with fungicides)+ seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum + Thinning + Improved variety) T3: FPP minus irrigation, T4: FPP minus fertilizer, T5 : FPP minus weed control, T6 : FPP minus plant protection, T7 : FPP minus seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum, T8 : FPP minus thinning and T9: FPP minus improved hybrid The gross and net plot sizes were 4.5 m x 5.0 m and 3.6 m x 4.40 m, respectively. The sowing was done by dibbling of seeds with a spacing of 45 x 15 cm and the seeds were covered with soil. CSV22R variety of Rabi sorghum was selected. The soil type of experimental site was Vertisol, which was medium deep, and slightly alkaline in reaction. The soil contained 0.5% organic carbon, 286 kg N, 19.3 kg P and 319 kg available K. All the crop husbandry practices were carried out according to the treatments details. The observations were taken by following standard procedures. The experimental data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using Fisher’s method of analysis of variance as outlined by Gomez and Gomez (1984). The level of significance used in ‘F’ and ‘t’ tests was P=0.05. Critical difference values were calculated, wherever F test was found significant, results have been interpreted and discussed based on the pooled data of two years.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Growth and Growth Parameters

The results of pooled data clearly indicated that all the biometric parameters of sorghum varied significantly due to application of different priority inputs (Table1 and 2). Among all the treatments, T2: Full Package of Practices (Protective irrigation+ fertilizer (RDF) + Weed control (Herbicides and Hand Weeding) + Plant protection (application of insecticide and fungicides seed treatments with fungicides) + seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum + Thinning + Improved variety) to Rabi sorghum recorded significantly superior growth and yield parameters. T2 i.e. Full Package of Practices (FPP) recorded significantly higher plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and total dry matter production (260 cm, 1144 cm², 1.69 and 79.55 respectively) compared to all other treatments. However, it was found on par with T6: FPP minus plant protection (236 cm, 1036 cm², 1.53 and 77.85 g plant^-1 of plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and total dry matter production respectively) and T7: FPP minus seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum (246 cm, 1082 cm², 1.60 and 71.13 g plant^-1 of plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and total dry matter production respectively). T1: Control (only improved variety without any input)  recorded significantly lower plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and total dry matter production compared to all other treatments (189 cm, 834 cm² 1.24 and 65.78 g plant^-1 respectively). Similar results have been reported by many researchers [1], [2], [3], [5], [6], [11], [13] and [15].

The progress of growth in sorghum is very much influenced by application of different priority inputs. The sorghum showed significant differences in attaining days to 50% flowering and days to maturity.The treatment T2:Full Package of Practices took significantly more number of days (78.35) to attain 50% flowering and days to maturity (117.01) compared to other treatments. The T1: Control (only improved variety without any input) recorded significantly lower number of days (67.02) and days to maturity (104.50).The better growth of sorghum in T2 may be attributed to the cumulative effect of all production factorsof full package of practices i.e., application of protective irrigation, balanced fertilizer application, timely weed control, adoption of suitable timely plant protection measures, seed treatment with bio fertilizers, maintaining optimum plant population coupled with improved variety that ensured better synthesis of carbohydrates that are being utilized for building of new cells and their accumulation leading to higher dry matter production in plant and Besides, higher accumulation of dry matter in leaves might have helped the photosynthetic area to remain active for longer period and was responsible for overall growth of plant in terms of dry matter production. Similar observations have been reported by many workers[3], [5], [6] and [11].

Yield and Yield Parameters

Among all the priority input treatments, the pooled data indicated that (Table 3 and 4).T1 : Control (only improved variety without any input)  recorded significantly lower grain yield (835 kg ha^-1) and  fodder yield (2254 kg ha^-1). Whereas among all the treatments T2: Full Package of Practices to rabi sorghum recorded significantly higher grain yield and fodder yield (1261 kg ha^-1and 2763 kg ha^-1 respectively). However it (T2) was found on par with T6: FPP minus plant protection and T7: FPP minus seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum (1156 and 1167 kg ha^-1grain yield and 2576 and 2535 kg ha^-1 fodder yield respectively). Similar trend was observed in all other yield attributes viz., number of grains panicle^-1, grain weight per panicle and 100 seed weight.Increase in yield of sorghum may be due to adoption full package of practices that resulted into better growth and total dry matter production which ultimately translocated into reproductive parts leading to improvement in yield contributing characters and finally higher yield. Similar results were also reported by scholars [1], [3], [6], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15] and [16]. Treatment T2: Full Package of Practices which received all the inputs or production factors showed higher yield indicating that all production factors are essential to Rabi sorghum to maximize yield. The data clearly indicated that most important factors of production are irrigation, fertilizer and weed control along with improved variety (when these were limited there was maximum yield reduction).There was maximum reduction in yield when only improved hybrid without any input was used. The factors that mattered lesser included seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum, plant protection, and thinning which was indicated by lesser yield reduction compared to full package of practices (F2) [3], [6] and [11]

Economics

The results of pooled data  (Table 5) indicated that among all the treatments T2: :Full Package of Practices achieved significantly higher gross returns (Rs.51053 ha^-1), net returns (Rs. 27728 ha^-1) and B:C ratio (2.19) that was on par with T6 : FPP minus plant protection (Rs. 46426 ha^-1, Rs.23601 ha^-1, 2.03 gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio per ha respectively) T7 : FPP minus seed treatment with PSB and Azospirillum (Rs. 47149 ha^-1, Rs. 23874 ha^-1, 2.03 gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio per ha respectively) and T8 : FPP minus thinning ((Rs. 46529 ha^-1, Rs. 24004 ha^-1, 2.07 gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio per ha respectively) owing to higher economic yields obtained in these treatments, whereas. Whereas, significantly lower gross returns (Rs. 35497 ha^-1), net returns (Rs. 17197 ha^-1) and B:C ratio (1.94) were recorded in T1: Control (only improved variety without any input) due to lower yield. Similar resultswere reported by many researchers [3], [6] and [11].

CONCLUSION

From the above findings, it may be concluded that application of full package of practice with improved hybrid or local cultivar should be followed to obtain higher yield and economic remuneration of sorghum. In case of any shortage, the lesser yield reducing factors i.e. full package of practice without Seed treatment with Azospirillum and PSB, without thinning and without Plant protection can also be followed without significantly affecting yield and economic profit. Fertilizer, weed control and irrigation were identified as resources that lead to severe reduction in yield and remuneration. Thus, on the order of priority, irrigation, fertilizer, and weed control are the key inputs for sorghum production, under northern Karnataka.

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