Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges & Opportunities
during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T4a-35P-1325
Influence of Different In-Situ Soil Moisture Conservation Techniques in
Maize under Rainfed Agro-Eco System of Jammu Region
Jai Kumar 1 *, A.P. Singh 1 , G. Ravindra Chary 2 , A. Gopinath 2 , Brinder Singh 1 , Rohit
Shrama 1 and Sunny Raina 3
1 All India Coordinated Project for Dryland agriculture, Rakh-Dhiansar, Samba (UT of J&K)
2 AICRPDA, ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
3 Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir
(UT) 181 133
*jkap006@gmail.com
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal crop in the world after wheat and rice
which occupies a prominent place in world agriculture due to its wide spread cultivation in
tropics, sub-tropics and temperate regions of the world. Maize being grown globally on an area
of about 197.19 million ha with a production of about of 1125.03 million tonnes. Maize in India
is known as ‘King of cereals’ because of its high production potential and wider adaptability, is
cultivated on an area of 9.21 million ha with a production of 25.13 million tonnes and the
productivity of 26.3 q/ ha (Annonymous 2020). The state of Jammu and Kashmir has the
distinction of being maize forms the staple diet of majority of the people living in the state and is
grown on larger area than wheat and rice while in Jammu region, it is the second most cereal
crop after wheat.
Maize being the dominant Kharif crop of rainfed areas of Jammu province, is seriously suffering
due to erratic and unpredictable rainfall, soils being light and medium texture leads to low water
holding capacity and the lands are often having uneven topography, the rain water runs off
quickly and removes top soil and fertilizers leading to reduction in maize productivity. Maize is
grown on farrowed or slopping lands, largely under Rainfed conditions and experience deficit
moisture stress at different stages of growth. The uneven distribution of rainfall in time and space
often causes dry spells of two weeks or even more resulting in moisture stress conditions during
critical stages of maize crop, especially during the cob formation/grain filling stage which is the
most critical stage with respect to productivity. Thus, the major constraint for establishing a crop
is the lack of adequate moisture in the root zone (Hadda et al., 2010; Bhat et al., 2004).
Therefore, it becomes essential to supply water to plant by adopting in-situ soil conservation
measures for increasing water use efficiency. This cause adoption of in-situ moisture
conservation practices to enhance productivity under dryland ecosystem (Subudhi, 2011). Hence,
keeping the above facts in the forefront, a study on the influence of Different In-Situ Soil
642 | Page Resource conservation and rainfed agriculture