Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T2-01O-1110
Diversification of Crops and Cropping Systems Resilience to Climate
Variability in Rainfed AGRO-ecosystems of Odisha
S. K. Behera 1* , M. R. Panda 1 andD. K. Bastia 2
1 AICRP for Dryland Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), At/Po:
Phulbani, Dist: Kandhamal, Odisha, Pin: 762001.
2 Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Pin - 756001
* subrat_behera@rediffmail.com
Crop production in the rainfed lands in India is presently plagued with numerous problems
like insufficient and erratic rainfall, land degradation and low soil fertility, poor supply of
agri-inputs, weak technology dissemination system, low investment capacity of farmers, etc.
Uneven and erratic rainfall in the rainfed area also creates moisture stress conditions during
critical growth stages of crop life, resulting in severe yield reduction. Even when the rainfall
is high, it is often lost as runoff, when the surface of the soil is not suitably formed.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance to enhance the resilience of rainfed agriculture to
climate change through the introduction of improved varieties, planned adoption of
appropriate inter-cropping systems, and also with other management practices of natural
resources. Keeping this in view, the present study was conducted to evaluate the response of
improved varieties and promising intercropping systems as well as different management
practices such as in-situ moisture conservation, nutrient management, pest and disease
management and weed management for different crops and cropping systems to climate
vulnerability such as drought in rainfed agro-ecosystems of Odisha.
Methodology
The on-farm research was conducted at the villages such as Budhadani and Gunjidraga of the
Kandhamal District of Odisha under the NICRA program of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture,
Phulbani, Odisha during Kharif season of 2019-21. These two villages often experience
scarce and erratic monsoon rainfall during Kharif season. The villages received rainfall of
1646.0 mm, 1957.0 mm and 1283.6 mm during Kharif season of 2019, 2020 and 2021 in 69,
84 and 64 rainy days, respectively as against normal rainfall of 1407 mm with 65 rainy days.
The total number of dry spells occurred during Kharif 2019, 2020 and 2021 were 2, 1 and 4
respectively. The demonstrations were conducted on improved crop varieties such as Rice
(var. Sahabhagi, Lalat), Maize (var. P-3501, NMH-51, OMH 14-27), Pigeon pea (var. NTL
724), Cowpea (var. Gomti), Radish (var. Pusa Chetki), Tomato (var. Priya), Brinjal (var. Blue
star), Bean (var. Raikia Local), Okra (var. JKOH 7315) and Watermelon (var. Black pearl).
The demonstrations were also conducted on different intercropping systems such as maize +
cowpea, maize + pigeonpea and pigeonpea + radish. The different management practices
Ecosystem based approaches for climate change adaptation, ecosystem services, integrated farming system
models, Land degradation neutrality
143 | Page