Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
production and WUE was higher in T 8 by 50%, 53%, 52% and 50% compared to T 1. Greater
yields in T8 and T6 compared to other treatments are attributed to better crop growth with
higher root length, nodules per plant and weight of nodules and greater dry matter
translocation to yield components during adverse rainfall situation and effect of biofertilizer,
zinc withrecommended rate of chemical fertilizer. The cost of cultivation
remains high in the treatments that have recommended rate of fertilizer application.
Significantly higher gross return(15%) was in T8with only 0.6% higher net return than the
T 5. The B:C ratio was higher in T 5 (1.28) followed by T 8 and T 4 (1.24). Higher net returns
of ₹ 8,046 and ₹ 8,314 ha -1 was recorded in T 3 and T 4, respectively as compared to lower
net returns of ₹ 3,659 ha -1 recorded in T2indicates significance of bio-fertilizers and
micronutrient in reducing the cost of cultivation and improving overall farm enterprise
income. Total energy output (37279 MJ ha -1 ) and net energy benefit (32006 MJ ha -1 ) were
significantly higher in T 8and was attributed to greater grain and straw yields produced in
T 8. Energy use efficiency (7.07) and energy productivity (0.189 MJ ha -1 ) were significantly
higher in T5. It indicates that the effect of low-cost technologies like bio-fertilizers and
micronutrient supplements significantly improves the crop performance in terms of energy
usage.
Conclusion
We can conclude that the treatment T 8with recommended rate of fertilizer
applicationwith bio-fertilizers and a micronutrient sustains Chickpea productivity by
producing higher grain yield, straw yield, total dry matter production, WUE, energy use
efficiency, net returns and B:C ratio under above normal rainfall situations on the
Vertisols of Bellariregion in southern India.
Technical staff associated with the experiment Mr. B.N. Seshadri, Mr. G. Bhati and A.
Kumar are appreciated for research plots maintenance and data generation.
References
Gaur, P. 2021. Can India sustain high growth of pulses production? J. Food Leg. 34(1): 1-3.
Nosheen, S.; Ajmal, I.; Song, Y. 2021. Microbes as Biofertilizers, a Potential Approach for
Sustainable Crop Production. Sustainability. 13: 1868. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041868
Patil, S. L., Loganandhan, N., Ramesha, M.N., Adhikary. P.P. and K. Channabasappa.
2018. Energy Consumption and Sensitivity Analysis of Rainfed Chickpea Production
in Vertisolsof Semi-arid Karnataka. Proc. National Acad. Sci. India, Sec. B
Bio.Sci.88(2):685-694.
440 | Page Sustainable soil management for resilient rainfed agro-ecosystem: conservation agriculture, organic farming, INM,
soil-microorganisms-plant interactions