Enhancement of quality and ecological integrity of soil using resource conservation technology

SK Chauhan / PP Dabral *

Conservation agriculture is a set of practices widely promoted to increase productivity while conserving soil through reduced tillage, mulching and crop rotation. According to Nancy (2001) with little disturbance to the soil it is possible to grow the crop.

Conserving soil and water, maintaining soil fertility, reducing soil disturbance, improving water infiltration, building up soil organic matter and supporting soil life are among the importance of conservation agriculture.

According to FAO (2001) conservation agriculture is an approach to managing agro-ecosystems for improved and sustained productivity, increased profits and food security while preserving and enhancing the resource base and the environment.

Conservation agriculture emphasizes that the soil is a living body, essential to sustain quality of life on the planet. Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been proposed as an adapted set of management principles that assures a more sustainable agricultural production. According to Paneque et. al. (2009) it is based on three fundamental principles:

1. Reduction in tillage and avoiding mechanical disturbances
2. Maintain crop restudies, favoring permanent soil cover
3. Make use of crop rotation.

CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES

Resource conserving techniques refer to those practices which conserve resources and ensure their optimal utilization and input use-efficiency.

Direct sowing (direct drilling) or Zero-tillage : In this system, soil remains undisturbed from the harvest to planting except for nutrient injection. Planting or drilling takes place in a narrow seedbed or slot created by coulters, row cleaners, disk openers, in-row chisels, roto-tillers, zero-till drill and zero-till planter.

Ridge-till: In this system, soil remains undisturbed from harvest to planting except for nutrient injection. Planting takes place in a seedbed prepared on ridges with sweeps, disk openers, coulters, or row cleaners. Residue is left on the surface between ridges. Weed control is by herbicides and/ or cultivation. Ridges are rebuilt during cultivation.

Mulch till (reduced tillage): In this system, soil is disturbed prior to planting. Tillage tools such as chisels, field cultivators, disks, sweeps or blades are used. Weed control is by herbicides and /or cultivation. In non-inversion tillage, soil is disturbed (but not inverted) immediately after harvest to partially incorporate crop residues and promote weed seed germination to provide soil cover during the intercrop period. These weeds are later chemically destroyed (using herbicides) and incorporated at sowing, in one pass, with non-inversion drills.

Cover crops : In this system, sowing of appropriate species, or growing spontaneous vegetation, in between rows of trees, or in the period of time in between successive annual crops, as a measure to prevent soil erosion and to control weeds. Cover crop management generally utilized herbicides with a minimum environmental impact.

RESOURCE CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGY

Resource Conservation Technology (RCT) employs all modern technologies that enhance the quality and ecological integrity of the soil, but the application of these is tempered with traditional knowledge of soil husbandry gained from generations of successful farmers.

The technology suitable to address theses issues are termed as RCT. These issues can be suitably handled through efficient farm machines and equipment such as, zero-till-seed drill, zero-till-planter, Jet-Plough, paddy drum seeder, straw reaper, happy seeder etc.

EQUIPMENT DEVELOPED UNDER RESOURCE CONSERVATIN TECHNOLOGY BY CAEPHT (CAU), IMPHAL), RANIPOOL

The equipment developed under resource conservation technology by CAEPHT (CAU, Imphal), Ranipool are as follows:

1. Animal drawn single and two row Zero till drill

These two equipments create a narrow slit for the seed and does not disturb or turn over the soil in the process of seeding the crop like wheat and buckwheat and mustard. Both consist of seed box, main frame, two ground wheels, handle and clevis for fitting beam, chain sprocket arrangements for transmitting power to sed feed shaft. These drills are mounted with rigid tines and inverted-T openers and works satisfactorily under anchored stubbles.

2. Animal drawn single and two row zero till planters

These two equipment maintain spacing between seed to seed and row to row and create a narrow slot for the seed and do not disturb or turn over the soil in the process of planting of seed. Both consist of seed box (trapezoidal shape (PVC plastic) capacity 1.00 kg for buckwheat seed grain), seed metering mechanism (vertical seed-metering roller (having triangular cells), power transmission system (A medium size (340 mm diameter) lugs wheel fitted with sprocket (size: 6 cm) of 13 teeth.

Another sprocket (size: 9 cm) of 19 teeth fitted for seed metering shaft so that the transmission ratio 1.5:1 maintained for accurate seed spacing). These planters seed box fitted on the frame of the planters. A standard roller chain has 15 mm pitch for transmission of power.

Furrow opener : Inverted T-Type furrow opener and works satisfactorily under anchored stubbles.

In zero tillage cultivation, by using above equipments, in single pass about 50% saving in cost of operation was observed in sowing/planting operation compared to the traditional practice.

3. JET Plough

Jet plough is used to prepare seed bed for sowing seed without much inversion of soil slice. It also reduces losses of fine particles of the prepared seed bed in hilly region because soil slice in less exposed and fined soil particles directly not come in contact with droplets occurs due to rain.

The Jet plough consists of handle, jet, share and beam (overall dimension: handle height 790 mm, width of jet on front 50 mm and rear side 250 mm with length 235 mm, length of share 90 mm, weight: 6.9 kg). The work rate of jet plough is 0.020 ha (200 sq. meter) per hour at average draft of 42 kg corresponding to depth of operation of 120 mm.

It was observed during field trial that by adoption of animal drawn jet plough, the cultivable area was better managed. It also reduced the drudgery and could cover comparatively more area. It is made of mild steel which provides more working width (250 mm) compared to the traditional plough (deshi plough) having100 mm width.

CONCLUSION

In zero tillage cultivation by using animal drawn single and two row zero till planters, in single pass about 50% saving in cost of operation in sowing/planting operation compared to the traditional practice. Use of jet plough reduces loss of fine particles of the prepared seed bed in hilly region. It also reduces the drudgery and covers comparatively more area compared to the traditional plough.


For further details contact:-
Public Relations & Media Management Cell,
CAU, Imphal.
Email: [email protected]