Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T1-12P-1011
Effect of Hydrogel and Organic Manures to Mitigate Abiotic Stress in
Groundnut Under Rainfed Conditions of Saurashtra Region
P. D. Vekariya*, H. R. Vadar, V. D. Vora, K. S. Jotangia and D. S. Hirpara
Main Dry Farming Research Station, Junagadh Agricultural University, Targhadia (Rajkot),
Gujarat, 360 023 India
* pdvekaria@jau.in
India is the second largest producer of groundnut in the world and contributes to 19.49 % of
world’s groundnut production next to China (36.29%). Groundnut is the premier oilseed crop
of Gujarat and ranks first in the area and production. In Gujarat, 82 % of total areas of
groundnut fall in the Saurashtra region under rainfed condition and thus exposed to the vagaries
of monsoon. Also soils of the Saurashtra region are having high clay content and cracking is a
natural phenomenon during stress period. The soil application of superabsorbent polymers
(SAPs) is found to be a promising methodology in rainfed areas. One such developed product
is ‘Pusa hydrogel,’ which is the first successful indigenous semi-synthetic superabsorbent
technology for conserving water and enhancing crop productivity and thereby increasing water
use efficiency. This technology could be promising in terms of productivity improvement of
rainfed crops and in combating the moisture stress in agriculture. Hence an experiment was
planned to study the effect of hydrogel and organic manures on the productivity and rain water
use efficiency of groundnut.
Methodology
The field experiment was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2018to 2020at Main Dry
Farming Research Station, Targhadia (Rajkot) under rainfed conditions. The soil of the
experimental site was clayey, medium in available nitrogen and phosphorus and high in
available potassium with mildly alkaline and non-saline. The experiment was laid out in
factorial randomized block design with three replications with a gross plot size of 5.4 m X 4.8
m and net plot size of 3.6 m X 2.4 m. The experiment comprised of 9 treatment combinations,
consisting of 3 levels of hydrogel (0, 2.5 and 5.0 kg ha -1 ) and 3organic manure treatments
(control, FYM @ 10 t ha -1 and vermicompost @ 2 t ha -1 ). The amount of hydrogel as per
treatment was mixed with dry and fine sand of less than 0.25 mm size in 1:10 ratio, to distribute
uniformly in the furrow. The sand mixed hydrogel was applied in furrow through drilling
before sowing of seed. Groundnut (GG-20) was sown with the onset of monsoon each year at
the distance of 60cmusing seed rate of 120 kg ha -1 and applied 12.5 kg N + 25.0 kg P2O5 ha -1 .
The total rainfall received during the crop season (June to October) was 614, 1336 and 1160
mm in 26, 39and 45 rainy days in the year 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Productivity and
rain water use efficiency of groundnut and soil moisture content was pooled over three years.
44 | Page Resilience through land and water management interventions, water management and governance