A field experiment was carried out on 36 farmers’ fields in three tehsils namely Nathdwara, Rajsa... more A field experiment was carried out on 36 farmers’ fields in three tehsils namely Nathdwara, Rajsamand and Kumbhalgarh of Rajsamand district situated in Sub-humid Southern Plain and Aravalli Hills Zone of Rajasthan (IVa) from kharif 2007 to rabi 2009–10 to study the influence of NPK fertilization on productivity and energy budget of maize (Zea mays)wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] cropping system. Higher grain and stover/straw yields, maize-grain equivalent yield, net returns and benefit: cost ratio in maize-wheat cropping system were obtained with the application of 90 kg N, 35 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O ha−1 in maize and 120 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O ha−1in wheat over rest of the treatments. This treatment also registered maximum sustainable yield index (0.69), production efficiency (38.5 kg ha−1 day−1), output energy (288.7 x 103 MJ ha−1), energy use efficiency (8.04), energy output efficiency (1255.1 MJ ha−1 day−1) and energy productivity (246.5 g MJ−1). Response studies indicated that maximum response was noted with phosphorus in both maize (23.8 kg kg−1 P) and wheat (30.5 kg kg−1 P).
The field experiment was carried out in twotehsils namely Salumber and Sarada of Udaipur district... more The field experiment was carried out in twotehsils namely Salumber and Sarada of Udaipur district situated in Humid Southern Plain Zone of Rajasthan (IVb) on 36 farmers’ fields from kharif 2007 to rabi 2009–10. Application of complete recommended package of practices i.e. improved varieties seeds, seed treatment with Azotobacter, recommended spacing and fertilizer doses, irrigations at critical stages, plant protection measures and weed management, resulted in significantly higher maize-grain equivalent yield (10.5 t ha−1), net returns ( 85.7 × 103 ha−1), benefit: cost ratio (4.09) and maximum production efficiency (44.9 kg ha−1day−1) of maize-wheat cropping system over rest of the treatments. Hence, farmers should adopt complete recommended package of practices in maize-wheat cropping system for realizing sustainable production. However, resource-poor and marginal farmers who cannot afford to apply the full package should adopt at least one most critical yield limiting factor.
A field experiment was carried out on farmers’ fields in 2 tehsils, namely Salumber and Sarada of... more A field experiment was carried out on farmers’ fields in 2 tehsils, namely Salumber and Sarada of Udaipur district situated in Humid Southern Plain Zone of Rajasthan (IVb) from rainy season (kharif) 2007 to summer 2011, to study diversification and intensification of maize (Zea mays L.)–wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] cropping system for sustainable productivity and profitability. The experiment, consisting of 5 cropping systems, viz. maize–wheat, maize–wheat–greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek], maize + blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] (2:2)–wheat–okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taubert]–wheat–greengram and clusterbean–wheat–okra, was laid out in randomized block design considering every farmer (12) as replication. Maize + blackgram (2:2)–wheat–okra cropping system recorded the highest maize–grain-equivalent yield (26.13 t/ha), gross returns (263.2 × 103/ha), net returns (205.8 × 103/ha), land-use efficiency (88.2%), production efficiency (81.1 kg/ha/day), sustainable yield index (0.57), sustainable value index (0.46), relative productivity efficiency (202.8%), relative economic efficiency (205.0%) and total calorific value (117.3 × 103 MJ/ha). However, benefit: cost ratio (5.10:1) and monetary efficiency (647.2/ha/day) were the highest in clusterbean–wheat–okra. Maize + blackgram (2:2)–wheat–okra recorded the highest total input energy (52.7 × 103 MJ/ha), while maize–wheat–greengram cropping system produced the highest output energy (301.8 × 103 MJ/ha). On the other hand, the maximum values of energy-use efficiency (7.52), energy-output efficiency (1150.2 MJ/ha/day), energy intensiveness (9.49 MJ/) and specific energy (4.13 MJ/kg) were found in maize–wheat cropping system, while energy productivity in clusterbean–wheat–okra cropping system (581.9 g/MJ).
Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research, Sep 1, 2008
This study reviews the use of agricultural and agro-processing industry wastes as metal adsorbent... more This study reviews the use of agricultural and agro-processing industry wastes as metal adsorbents from wastewater. Modified materials displayed better adsorption capacity and capability of some was comparable with that of commercial activated carbons and synthetic resins. Agricultural wastes are low-cost adsorbents and can be viable alternatives to activated carbon for treatment of metal-contaminated wastewater.
Quantification of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions from agriculture is necessary to prepare the ... more Quantification of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions from agriculture is necessary to prepare the national inventories and to develop the mitigation strategies. Field experiments were conducted during 2008-2010 at the experimental farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India to quantify nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from soils under cereals, pulses, millets, and oilseed crops. Total cumulative N2O emissions were significantly different (P>0.05) among the crop types. Emission of N2O as percentage of applied N was the highest in pulses (0.67%) followed by oilseeds (0.55%), millets (0.43%) and cereals (0.40%). The emission increased with increasing rate of N application (r(2)=0.74, P<0.05). The cumulative flux of CH4 from the rice crop was 28.64±4.40kgha(-1), while the mean seasonal integrated flux of CO2 from soils ranged from 3058±236 to 3616±157kgCO2ha(-1) under different crops. The global warming potential (GWP) ...
To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from rice and wheat cultivation several mitigation op... more To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from rice and wheat cultivation several mitigation options have been suggested. However, economic impact of these technologies has been poorly documented. In the present study economic analysis of some emerging GHG mitigation technologies for rice-wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains has been carried out. The experiment consisted of six combinations of wheat- rice crop rotation using eight treatments, including conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), zero tilled wheat (ZTW), transplanted puddled rice (TPR), dry direct seeded rice (DSR), intermittent wetting and drying (IWD), application of rice straw (RS) with ZTW and use of neem oil-coated urea (NOCU) in TPR and ZTW. Cost of various inputs and income from grain and straw were used for computing the benefit to cost (B : C) ratio in the different treatments. ZTW showed higher yield and B : C ratio compared to CTW along with reduction in fuel consumption during tillage operation. In spite of lower yield under DSR and IWD, saving of water, labour and energy in these treatments lowered the cost of cultivation and enhanced B : C ratio similar to TPR. Application of rice straw and NOCU also showed positive impact on crop yield. B : C ratio of rice-wheat system ranged from 1.62 to 1.86 in the first year and from 1.86 to 2.16 in the second year. B : C ratio was significantly higher in all the treatments in the experimented rice-wheat system compared to conventional system, i.e. CTW-TPR. The ZTW + RR - DSR (WR5) showed highest B : C ratio followed by ZTW + DSR (WR4) in both the seasons.
Livestock plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, livestock production acco... more Livestock plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, livestock production accounts for 0.18 of global greenhouse gas emissions. India has one of the highest livestock densities globally, mainly produced under traditional systems. Specifically, the emission and particularly nitrogen losses from cattle in traditional systems cannot be ignored. Nitrogen emission is substantial when cattle roam free and waste is not collected or managed efficiently. This paper reviews the literature to piece together the available information on nitrogen emissions from cattle in India to synthesize the evidence, identify gaps and contribute to further understanding of the problem. At the same time, the paper highlights the solutions to reduce nitrogen pollution from cattle production in India. The main findings are that most cattle in India are not reared to provide meat protein. The implication is that reactive nitrogen per capita consumption is lower than most developed countries. However, there are substantial inefficiencies in feed conversion, feed nitrogen use and manure management in India. As a result, nitrogen losses and wastage are considerable in the different production systems. Furthermore, the review suggests that social, cultural and economic factors such as convergent social behaviour, urbanization, regulations, changing consumption patterns, the demand for cheap fuel sources, culture and religion influence the production systems and, consequently, the emissions from livestock. Suggested solutions to reduce nitrogen pollution from cattle production in India are improving livestock productivity, adopting better feeding, manure and pasture management practices and using behavioural nudges. 100 Y. Zhou et al.
The maize (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (MWCS) could be better alt... more The maize (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (MWCS) could be better alternative to rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS), due to its lower water requirement, methane (CH4) emission and soil degradation. However, the global warming potential (GWP), greenhouse gas intensity (GHGi) and benefit cost ratio (BCR) of the MWCS need to be quantified in order to propose management practices for GWP mitigation. To achieve the objective of the study a field experiment was conducted at the ICAR-IARI, New Delhi during 2012-14. The experiment consisted of six treatments, viz. N0 (control), Urea, Urea+FYM, FYM, Urea+NI (nitrification inhibitor) and NOCU (neem oil coated urea). Two-year average results showed that as compared to urea treatment, GWP of MWCS lowered by 6, 16, 31 and 62% in urea+NI, NOCU, Urea+FYM and FYM, respectively. GHGi lowered by 6, 6, 24 and 46% in urea+NI, NOCU, Urea+FYM and FYM, respectively. The BCR was higher in NOCU and Urea+NI as compared to urea trea...
Disposal of paddy straw is a major problem in the North-West part of India, which leads to its bu... more Disposal of paddy straw is a major problem in the North-West part of India, which leads to its burning, and subsequent atmospheric pollution. Therefore, a field experiment was undertaken to evaluate the potential of microbial priming and nitrogen (N) supplementation towards improved in situ degradation of paddy straw. A fungal consortium comprising two promising lignocellulolytic fungi namely Coprinopsis cinerea LA2 and Cyathus stercoreus ITCC3745 was applied to stubbles left in the field after the harvesting of rice. Five treatments were undertaken: T1: Straw removed, T2: Straw retained (3 t ha− 1), T3: Straw retained + fungal consortium (3 kg ha− 1) + Urea (30 kg ha− 1), T4: Straw retained + Urea (30 kg ha− 1), T5: Straw retained + fungal consortium (3 kg ha− 1). At 30 DAT (days after treatment), an increase in fungal (14%), bacterial (17%) and cellulolytic microorganisms (20%) was recorded in the T3 treatment. The activity of soil hydrolytic enzymes also almost doubled in this treatment recording 2.6- and 2.8-fold increase for cellulase and β glucosidase respectively, within a month indicating degradation of straw. Study of various soil microbial activity parameters and CO2 emission also demonstrated superiority of T3 treatment. The study showed that microbial inoculation and N priming can be an easy and faster option for in-situ degradation of crop residues which will also help in the improvement of the soil organic carbon (SOC) in long run besides increasing the grain yield of subsequent wheat crop.
An increasing concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the global atmosphere can perturb the ecolo... more An increasing concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the global atmosphere can perturb the ecological balance, affecting the climate and human life. South Asia, one of the world’s most populous regions, is a hotspot for N2O emission. Although agriculture traditionally dominated the region, economic activities are rapidly shifting towards industry and energy services. These activites may become the largest emitters of N2O in future. Yet, few attempts have been made to estimate long-term direct N2O emission from fuel combustion for the different energy-consuming sectors in the South Asian region. Therefore, the present study developed a comprehensive sectoral N2O emission inventory for South Asian countries for the time period of 1990–2017, with projections till 2041. It revealed that the average N2O emission from fuel combustion in the South Asia region is about 40.96 Gg yr−1 with a possible uncertainty of ±12 Gg yr−1, showing an increase of more than 100% from 1990 to 2017. Althoug...
The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019
In India, stubble burning is frequently practiced in the dominant rice-growing states of the Indo... more In India, stubble burning is frequently practiced in the dominant rice-growing states of the Indo-Gangetic Plains, primarily in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. We attempted monitoring and mapping of the active fire events in real time for all the 3 states by acquiring thermal datasets from 3 different sensors i.e. Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) at 375m aboard Sumo-NPP, Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MODIS) at 1000m aboard Terra & Aqua, and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) at 1,100m aboard NOAA 18/19 & MetOp 1/2, made available by IARI Satellite Ground Station during Kharif crop harvest season (October-November) 2018. The standard algorithm of detection of the temperature of a pixel at (4.0 μm and/or 10 to 12 μm) and its difference from the temperature of surrounding pixels was employed for day and night passes. Analysis of active fire locations detected from VIIRS, MODIS and AVHRR between 01 st October and 30 th November 2018 suggests continuing practice of stubble burning with a total of 75563 burning events distributed as 59695, 9232 and 6636 in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, respectively. District-wise monitoring showed a significant upsurge of fire events during the study period in the southwestern and eastern districts of Punjab. Intense fire was witnessed in northern districts of Haryana and western districts of Uttar Pradesh. Comparative analysis shows that the burning events in the current year up till 30 th November 2018 are 85% of the events detected in 2017 and about 59.10% of the events detected in 2016. It implies that the burning of rice stubble in the current year has reduced significantly over the past years due to various scheme implemented by the State and Central government.
Methane (C H~) with its current concentration of 1.72 ppmV in the atmosp here accounts for 15 per... more Methane (C H~) with its current concentration of 1.72 ppmV in the atmosp here accounts for 15 per cent of the en hanced greenh ouse effect. The atmosp heri c co ncentrat ion o f CH~ is increasi ng at 0.3 per cently. Lowland rice soi l is considered to be one of the major contributors of atmospheric methane. Various soil , climate, and management factors control methanogenesis, the geoc hemical process lh at occurs in all anaero bi c environments in which organic matter und ergoes decom positi o n, resultin g in the formation o f C H~. Methane formed in soi l escapes to the atmosphere through vascular transport, ebulliti on or diffusion. Emission o f C H 4 from ri ce fields can be reduced by: (i) Midseason drainage instead of continuous tlooding, (ii) Use of cullivars with low emi ssion poten ti al, (iii) Use of low C:N organi c manure, and (iv) Direct establishment of rice crop like dry direct seeded rice.
Nutrient budgeting is a useful tool in determining present and future productivity of agricultura... more Nutrient budgeting is a useful tool in determining present and future productivity of agricultural land as well as undesirable effects of nutrient mining and environmental pollution. Budgets of N, P, and K were calculated for India for 2000-2001 taking into consideration the inputs through inorganic fertilizer, animal manure, compost, green manure, leguminous fixation, non-leguminous fixation, crop residues, rain and irrigation water and outputs through crop uptake and losses through leaching, volatilization and denitrification. Inorganic fertilizer was the dominant source contributing 64% of N and 78% of P inputs in Indian agriculture, whereas K input through inorganic fertilizer was 26%. Removals of N, P, and K by major agricultural crops in the country were 7.7, 1.3 and 7.5 Mt, respectively. There were positive balances of N (1.4 Mt) and P (1.0 Mt) and a negative balance of K (3.3 Mt). It was projected that N, P, and K requirement by Indian agriculture would be 9.78, 1.57 and 9.52 Mt, respectively, to meet the food demand of 1.3 billion people by 2020. The study identified the 'hotspots' of excess nutrient loads as well as of nutrient mining regions in India to improve our ability to predict environmental degradation due to imbalanced fertilizer use. However, there are some uncertainties in India's nutrient budget and more research is required to reduce these uncertainties.
Production of conventional puddled transplanted rice is facing severe constraints because of wate... more Production of conventional puddled transplanted rice is facing severe constraints because of water and labour scarcity and climatic changes. Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is a feasible alternative to conventional puddled transplanted rice with good potential to save water, reduce labour requirement, mitigate green-house gas (GHG) emission and adapt to climatic risks. The yields are comparable with transplanted rice if crop is properly managed. In recent years, efforts have been made in promoting the DSR technology by ...
A field experiment was carried out on 36 farmers’ fields in three tehsils namely Nathdwara, Rajsa... more A field experiment was carried out on 36 farmers’ fields in three tehsils namely Nathdwara, Rajsamand and Kumbhalgarh of Rajsamand district situated in Sub-humid Southern Plain and Aravalli Hills Zone of Rajasthan (IVa) from kharif 2007 to rabi 2009–10 to study the influence of NPK fertilization on productivity and energy budget of maize (Zea mays)wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] cropping system. Higher grain and stover/straw yields, maize-grain equivalent yield, net returns and benefit: cost ratio in maize-wheat cropping system were obtained with the application of 90 kg N, 35 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O ha−1 in maize and 120 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O ha−1in wheat over rest of the treatments. This treatment also registered maximum sustainable yield index (0.69), production efficiency (38.5 kg ha−1 day−1), output energy (288.7 x 103 MJ ha−1), energy use efficiency (8.04), energy output efficiency (1255.1 MJ ha−1 day−1) and energy productivity (246.5 g MJ−1). Response studies indicated that maximum response was noted with phosphorus in both maize (23.8 kg kg−1 P) and wheat (30.5 kg kg−1 P).
The field experiment was carried out in twotehsils namely Salumber and Sarada of Udaipur district... more The field experiment was carried out in twotehsils namely Salumber and Sarada of Udaipur district situated in Humid Southern Plain Zone of Rajasthan (IVb) on 36 farmers’ fields from kharif 2007 to rabi 2009–10. Application of complete recommended package of practices i.e. improved varieties seeds, seed treatment with Azotobacter, recommended spacing and fertilizer doses, irrigations at critical stages, plant protection measures and weed management, resulted in significantly higher maize-grain equivalent yield (10.5 t ha−1), net returns ( 85.7 × 103 ha−1), benefit: cost ratio (4.09) and maximum production efficiency (44.9 kg ha−1day−1) of maize-wheat cropping system over rest of the treatments. Hence, farmers should adopt complete recommended package of practices in maize-wheat cropping system for realizing sustainable production. However, resource-poor and marginal farmers who cannot afford to apply the full package should adopt at least one most critical yield limiting factor.
A field experiment was carried out on farmers’ fields in 2 tehsils, namely Salumber and Sarada of... more A field experiment was carried out on farmers’ fields in 2 tehsils, namely Salumber and Sarada of Udaipur district situated in Humid Southern Plain Zone of Rajasthan (IVb) from rainy season (kharif) 2007 to summer 2011, to study diversification and intensification of maize (Zea mays L.)–wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] cropping system for sustainable productivity and profitability. The experiment, consisting of 5 cropping systems, viz. maize–wheat, maize–wheat–greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek], maize + blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] (2:2)–wheat–okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taubert]–wheat–greengram and clusterbean–wheat–okra, was laid out in randomized block design considering every farmer (12) as replication. Maize + blackgram (2:2)–wheat–okra cropping system recorded the highest maize–grain-equivalent yield (26.13 t/ha), gross returns (263.2 × 103/ha), net returns (205.8 × 103/ha), land-use efficiency (88.2%), production efficiency (81.1 kg/ha/day), sustainable yield index (0.57), sustainable value index (0.46), relative productivity efficiency (202.8%), relative economic efficiency (205.0%) and total calorific value (117.3 × 103 MJ/ha). However, benefit: cost ratio (5.10:1) and monetary efficiency (647.2/ha/day) were the highest in clusterbean–wheat–okra. Maize + blackgram (2:2)–wheat–okra recorded the highest total input energy (52.7 × 103 MJ/ha), while maize–wheat–greengram cropping system produced the highest output energy (301.8 × 103 MJ/ha). On the other hand, the maximum values of energy-use efficiency (7.52), energy-output efficiency (1150.2 MJ/ha/day), energy intensiveness (9.49 MJ/) and specific energy (4.13 MJ/kg) were found in maize–wheat cropping system, while energy productivity in clusterbean–wheat–okra cropping system (581.9 g/MJ).
Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research, Sep 1, 2008
This study reviews the use of agricultural and agro-processing industry wastes as metal adsorbent... more This study reviews the use of agricultural and agro-processing industry wastes as metal adsorbents from wastewater. Modified materials displayed better adsorption capacity and capability of some was comparable with that of commercial activated carbons and synthetic resins. Agricultural wastes are low-cost adsorbents and can be viable alternatives to activated carbon for treatment of metal-contaminated wastewater.
Quantification of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions from agriculture is necessary to prepare the ... more Quantification of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions from agriculture is necessary to prepare the national inventories and to develop the mitigation strategies. Field experiments were conducted during 2008-2010 at the experimental farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India to quantify nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from soils under cereals, pulses, millets, and oilseed crops. Total cumulative N2O emissions were significantly different (P>0.05) among the crop types. Emission of N2O as percentage of applied N was the highest in pulses (0.67%) followed by oilseeds (0.55%), millets (0.43%) and cereals (0.40%). The emission increased with increasing rate of N application (r(2)=0.74, P<0.05). The cumulative flux of CH4 from the rice crop was 28.64±4.40kgha(-1), while the mean seasonal integrated flux of CO2 from soils ranged from 3058±236 to 3616±157kgCO2ha(-1) under different crops. The global warming potential (GWP) ...
To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from rice and wheat cultivation several mitigation op... more To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from rice and wheat cultivation several mitigation options have been suggested. However, economic impact of these technologies has been poorly documented. In the present study economic analysis of some emerging GHG mitigation technologies for rice-wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains has been carried out. The experiment consisted of six combinations of wheat- rice crop rotation using eight treatments, including conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), zero tilled wheat (ZTW), transplanted puddled rice (TPR), dry direct seeded rice (DSR), intermittent wetting and drying (IWD), application of rice straw (RS) with ZTW and use of neem oil-coated urea (NOCU) in TPR and ZTW. Cost of various inputs and income from grain and straw were used for computing the benefit to cost (B : C) ratio in the different treatments. ZTW showed higher yield and B : C ratio compared to CTW along with reduction in fuel consumption during tillage operation. In spite of lower yield under DSR and IWD, saving of water, labour and energy in these treatments lowered the cost of cultivation and enhanced B : C ratio similar to TPR. Application of rice straw and NOCU also showed positive impact on crop yield. B : C ratio of rice-wheat system ranged from 1.62 to 1.86 in the first year and from 1.86 to 2.16 in the second year. B : C ratio was significantly higher in all the treatments in the experimented rice-wheat system compared to conventional system, i.e. CTW-TPR. The ZTW + RR - DSR (WR5) showed highest B : C ratio followed by ZTW + DSR (WR4) in both the seasons.
Livestock plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, livestock production acco... more Livestock plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, livestock production accounts for 0.18 of global greenhouse gas emissions. India has one of the highest livestock densities globally, mainly produced under traditional systems. Specifically, the emission and particularly nitrogen losses from cattle in traditional systems cannot be ignored. Nitrogen emission is substantial when cattle roam free and waste is not collected or managed efficiently. This paper reviews the literature to piece together the available information on nitrogen emissions from cattle in India to synthesize the evidence, identify gaps and contribute to further understanding of the problem. At the same time, the paper highlights the solutions to reduce nitrogen pollution from cattle production in India. The main findings are that most cattle in India are not reared to provide meat protein. The implication is that reactive nitrogen per capita consumption is lower than most developed countries. However, there are substantial inefficiencies in feed conversion, feed nitrogen use and manure management in India. As a result, nitrogen losses and wastage are considerable in the different production systems. Furthermore, the review suggests that social, cultural and economic factors such as convergent social behaviour, urbanization, regulations, changing consumption patterns, the demand for cheap fuel sources, culture and religion influence the production systems and, consequently, the emissions from livestock. Suggested solutions to reduce nitrogen pollution from cattle production in India are improving livestock productivity, adopting better feeding, manure and pasture management practices and using behavioural nudges. 100 Y. Zhou et al.
The maize (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (MWCS) could be better alt... more The maize (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (MWCS) could be better alternative to rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS), due to its lower water requirement, methane (CH4) emission and soil degradation. However, the global warming potential (GWP), greenhouse gas intensity (GHGi) and benefit cost ratio (BCR) of the MWCS need to be quantified in order to propose management practices for GWP mitigation. To achieve the objective of the study a field experiment was conducted at the ICAR-IARI, New Delhi during 2012-14. The experiment consisted of six treatments, viz. N0 (control), Urea, Urea+FYM, FYM, Urea+NI (nitrification inhibitor) and NOCU (neem oil coated urea). Two-year average results showed that as compared to urea treatment, GWP of MWCS lowered by 6, 16, 31 and 62% in urea+NI, NOCU, Urea+FYM and FYM, respectively. GHGi lowered by 6, 6, 24 and 46% in urea+NI, NOCU, Urea+FYM and FYM, respectively. The BCR was higher in NOCU and Urea+NI as compared to urea trea...
Disposal of paddy straw is a major problem in the North-West part of India, which leads to its bu... more Disposal of paddy straw is a major problem in the North-West part of India, which leads to its burning, and subsequent atmospheric pollution. Therefore, a field experiment was undertaken to evaluate the potential of microbial priming and nitrogen (N) supplementation towards improved in situ degradation of paddy straw. A fungal consortium comprising two promising lignocellulolytic fungi namely Coprinopsis cinerea LA2 and Cyathus stercoreus ITCC3745 was applied to stubbles left in the field after the harvesting of rice. Five treatments were undertaken: T1: Straw removed, T2: Straw retained (3 t ha− 1), T3: Straw retained + fungal consortium (3 kg ha− 1) + Urea (30 kg ha− 1), T4: Straw retained + Urea (30 kg ha− 1), T5: Straw retained + fungal consortium (3 kg ha− 1). At 30 DAT (days after treatment), an increase in fungal (14%), bacterial (17%) and cellulolytic microorganisms (20%) was recorded in the T3 treatment. The activity of soil hydrolytic enzymes also almost doubled in this treatment recording 2.6- and 2.8-fold increase for cellulase and β glucosidase respectively, within a month indicating degradation of straw. Study of various soil microbial activity parameters and CO2 emission also demonstrated superiority of T3 treatment. The study showed that microbial inoculation and N priming can be an easy and faster option for in-situ degradation of crop residues which will also help in the improvement of the soil organic carbon (SOC) in long run besides increasing the grain yield of subsequent wheat crop.
An increasing concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the global atmosphere can perturb the ecolo... more An increasing concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the global atmosphere can perturb the ecological balance, affecting the climate and human life. South Asia, one of the world’s most populous regions, is a hotspot for N2O emission. Although agriculture traditionally dominated the region, economic activities are rapidly shifting towards industry and energy services. These activites may become the largest emitters of N2O in future. Yet, few attempts have been made to estimate long-term direct N2O emission from fuel combustion for the different energy-consuming sectors in the South Asian region. Therefore, the present study developed a comprehensive sectoral N2O emission inventory for South Asian countries for the time period of 1990–2017, with projections till 2041. It revealed that the average N2O emission from fuel combustion in the South Asia region is about 40.96 Gg yr−1 with a possible uncertainty of ±12 Gg yr−1, showing an increase of more than 100% from 1990 to 2017. Althoug...
The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019
In India, stubble burning is frequently practiced in the dominant rice-growing states of the Indo... more In India, stubble burning is frequently practiced in the dominant rice-growing states of the Indo-Gangetic Plains, primarily in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. We attempted monitoring and mapping of the active fire events in real time for all the 3 states by acquiring thermal datasets from 3 different sensors i.e. Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) at 375m aboard Sumo-NPP, Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MODIS) at 1000m aboard Terra & Aqua, and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) at 1,100m aboard NOAA 18/19 & MetOp 1/2, made available by IARI Satellite Ground Station during Kharif crop harvest season (October-November) 2018. The standard algorithm of detection of the temperature of a pixel at (4.0 μm and/or 10 to 12 μm) and its difference from the temperature of surrounding pixels was employed for day and night passes. Analysis of active fire locations detected from VIIRS, MODIS and AVHRR between 01 st October and 30 th November 2018 suggests continuing practice of stubble burning with a total of 75563 burning events distributed as 59695, 9232 and 6636 in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, respectively. District-wise monitoring showed a significant upsurge of fire events during the study period in the southwestern and eastern districts of Punjab. Intense fire was witnessed in northern districts of Haryana and western districts of Uttar Pradesh. Comparative analysis shows that the burning events in the current year up till 30 th November 2018 are 85% of the events detected in 2017 and about 59.10% of the events detected in 2016. It implies that the burning of rice stubble in the current year has reduced significantly over the past years due to various scheme implemented by the State and Central government.
Methane (C H~) with its current concentration of 1.72 ppmV in the atmosp here accounts for 15 per... more Methane (C H~) with its current concentration of 1.72 ppmV in the atmosp here accounts for 15 per cent of the en hanced greenh ouse effect. The atmosp heri c co ncentrat ion o f CH~ is increasi ng at 0.3 per cently. Lowland rice soi l is considered to be one of the major contributors of atmospheric methane. Various soil , climate, and management factors control methanogenesis, the geoc hemical process lh at occurs in all anaero bi c environments in which organic matter und ergoes decom positi o n, resultin g in the formation o f C H~. Methane formed in soi l escapes to the atmosphere through vascular transport, ebulliti on or diffusion. Emission o f C H 4 from ri ce fields can be reduced by: (i) Midseason drainage instead of continuous tlooding, (ii) Use of cullivars with low emi ssion poten ti al, (iii) Use of low C:N organi c manure, and (iv) Direct establishment of rice crop like dry direct seeded rice.
Nutrient budgeting is a useful tool in determining present and future productivity of agricultura... more Nutrient budgeting is a useful tool in determining present and future productivity of agricultural land as well as undesirable effects of nutrient mining and environmental pollution. Budgets of N, P, and K were calculated for India for 2000-2001 taking into consideration the inputs through inorganic fertilizer, animal manure, compost, green manure, leguminous fixation, non-leguminous fixation, crop residues, rain and irrigation water and outputs through crop uptake and losses through leaching, volatilization and denitrification. Inorganic fertilizer was the dominant source contributing 64% of N and 78% of P inputs in Indian agriculture, whereas K input through inorganic fertilizer was 26%. Removals of N, P, and K by major agricultural crops in the country were 7.7, 1.3 and 7.5 Mt, respectively. There were positive balances of N (1.4 Mt) and P (1.0 Mt) and a negative balance of K (3.3 Mt). It was projected that N, P, and K requirement by Indian agriculture would be 9.78, 1.57 and 9.52 Mt, respectively, to meet the food demand of 1.3 billion people by 2020. The study identified the 'hotspots' of excess nutrient loads as well as of nutrient mining regions in India to improve our ability to predict environmental degradation due to imbalanced fertilizer use. However, there are some uncertainties in India's nutrient budget and more research is required to reduce these uncertainties.
Production of conventional puddled transplanted rice is facing severe constraints because of wate... more Production of conventional puddled transplanted rice is facing severe constraints because of water and labour scarcity and climatic changes. Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is a feasible alternative to conventional puddled transplanted rice with good potential to save water, reduce labour requirement, mitigate green-house gas (GHG) emission and adapt to climatic risks. The yields are comparable with transplanted rice if crop is properly managed. In recent years, efforts have been made in promoting the DSR technology by ...
Uploads
Papers by niveta jain