Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
marginal soils produce a poor crop of sorghum, coupled with low market prices resulting in
poor profits, thus, favored least by the farmers (Zalkuwi et al. 2015). Sorghum ratooning is one
of the drought management practices tried earlier in rainfed areas, which could also be
introduced and evaluated matching with the rainfall forecast. Not only does there seem to be a
shift in rainfall distribution, but there may also be chances of receiving extra rain events beyond
South West monsoon (SWM) season through the probability estimation. Horsegram
(Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc) is a contingent pulse crop grown mostly during late
kharif/ early rabi for grain and fodder purposes as well.
Methodology
With the extra rain events beyond South West monsoon, chance cropping of a pulse horse gram
(HG) can be considered for sowing in the harvested strips/rows of strip row Sorghum and
pigeonpea intercropping as a sequence crop, and the harvested sorghum crop was
ratooned. This practice was carried out mainly during October- November months when we
receive rain. However ratooning sorghum does not need seeding while horse gram did so. The
recommended dose of nitrogen was applied to the sorghum ratoon and recommended amount
of nitrogen and phosphorus was to the horse gram crop. The first set of sorghum ratooned and
horse gram were sole crops while the second set was carried out in a 4:4 strip row intercropping
system of sorghum and pigeonpea. Rainfall received was 299 mm and 63 mm respectively
during both types of years for post-monsoon.
Results
Ratoon sorghum performed better during well-distributed rainfall while deficit rainfall affected
its performance. Compared to the performance of sequence horse gram sown after the harvest
of sorghum crop, horse gram needs sowing rains, seed, seedbed preparation, and sowing costs.
This needs to be followed by the receipt of good post-rainy season rain events for a successful
horse gram crop.
Resilience through land and water management interventions, water management and governance
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