Prof. U. P. Singh Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, B.H.U. Varanasi, U.P. (India) Wheat Production Technologies for Eastern UP

Exploding population – little control / No control Harvested area crop intensification Harvested area shrinking (?)- crop intensification Greater for land, labor and water- good land diverted to other sectors Greater competition for land, labor and water- good land diverted to other sectors Increasing production costs Climate change more apparent – terminal heat, rusts etc. Resource fatigue - Reducing factor productivity, land degradation ‘One size fits all’ approach and untrained extension staff. Challenges for Food Security

Issues Realized And Solutions Poor quality seed Use of quality seeds IssuesSolution Weed infestationIntegrated weed management Spray techniques and equipment Timely availability of suitable spray equipments and proper use of spray techniques Low tendency of herbicide use Popularize and change in mind set for appropriate herbicide use Water shortagesGW development, save water, reduce evaporation, weed control Poor land leveling Precise leveling of lands

Machinery problem (operational) Machines perfections: For loose residue situations Supply of improved quality machines Diversification of R-W system Adequate irrigation facilities and community approach for diversification IssuesSolution

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is now a globally accepted agro-ecological approach to sustainable intensification of crop production. CA comprises resource conserving agricultural production practices that aim to produce more at less costs while enhancing the quality of the natural resource base. CA is all about generating multiple options for farmers who are endowed differentially. Meeting the Food Security Challenge

Conservation Agriculture Means Dramatic Tillage Reductions Combined with Adequate Surface Retention of Crop Residues Conventional Till Systems CA Zero Till Systems

CA is Enhanced by Diversified, Economical Crop Rotations

Properly Managed CA Encourages Sustainable Soil Management Physical Soil Quality Chemical Biological Soil Organic Matter

Conservation Agriculture enhances biological tillage instead of mechanical tillage

Resource Conserving Technologies (RCTs) 1.No-tillage 2.Laser land leveling 3.Direct seeding of rice 4.Leaf colour chart for N 5.Crop diversification ConventionalRCTs

Tillage ConventionalUnpuddledRaised bedZero-tillage Resource conservation technologies in rice- wheat systems Crop establishment TransplantingDirect-drill-seeding

CA based RCTs options for System sustainability Zero tillage Paired row ZT Control traffic ZT Direct seeding Unpuddled transplanting Reduced tillage Bed planting Surface seeding

Zero Tillage – A cost effective and input use efficient technology

Zero Till (ZT) –Wheat Seeding Reduced costs (Rs /ha) due to savings in fuel and labor Timely planting of kharif and winter season crops, resulting in higher yields Lower density of herbicide resistance in comparison to traditional tillage. Significant irrigation water savings (up to 15-20%) Improved input use efficiency because of the right placement of seed and fertilizer nutrients Better plant stands Less burning of crop resides Advantages of Zero Tillage

Permanent FIRB (Residue managed) RiceWheat Mungbean

Rotavator : An emerging issues Increased seed rate (160 kg/ha) Promote sowing by broadcasting the seed Enhanced weed problem of Phalaris minor/ other weeds Use of Rotavator - soil compaction - symptomatic problems - crop lodging and water logging /chlorosis Farmers have to apply additional N / P to overcome yellowing Low productivity (less tillering, small earhead & grain size and low grain weight ) Rotavators donot operate in presence of residues 4-5 T/ ha Rotavator use promote burning of crop residues. Rotavator use need to be Banned

CA Planters for Small-Scale Farmers

Helps early sowing Saves water, labor and diesel Increases fertilizer use efficiency Reduced soil erosion Improves soil organic C No-tillage is a win- win technology

No-till wheat is more tolerant to abrupt temperature rise: Climate change adaptation Conventional RCTs can help Agriculture in Beating the Heat

Zero-tillage Zero-tillage with controlled traffic Zero tillage paired row ( 5% more yield gain) Bed planting – saves seed, water and labor, improves grain quality and Yield. Improved Technological options for wheat

Particular Farmers practice (US $ ha -1 ) ZT Wheat (US $ ha -1 ) Cost (input) 1. Seed Tillage Fertilizer Irrigation Labour Herbicide/pesticide Harvesting & threshing 4948 Total variable cost Benefit (output) Return from produce Net benefit Net return over FP -150 Benefit-cost ratio Partial Budgeting of CA baed RCTs in wheat

Treatment Farmer No. Grain yield (Mg ha -1 ) Tillage cost (US$ ha -1 ) Net income (US$ ha -1 ) Farmer Practice b44 a375 b Fresh Bed Planted a38 a628 a ZT-Planted ab 0 b512 a Wheat grain yield, tillage costs and net income under different tillage and crop establishment methods (average of three years) Means within a column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level

Wheat Productivity (t/ha) as influenced by CA based permanent bed planting and CT in Rice- Wheat system

Suggested work plan for cluster demonstrations wheat during Rabi season in Eastern U.P SitesCA based RCTs Demonstration/promotion on Wheat 1. Chandauli Village clusters 2. Ghazipur Village clusters 1.Seed priming and treatment 2.Cultivar choices 3.Zero tillage – Wheat 4.Paired row planting and Controlled traffic 5.Dry seeding and post sowing irrigation 6.Residue managed zero tillage wheat 7.Surface seeded- wheat Low lying areas 8.Introduction of improved Zero-till drills 9.Promote custom service of Zero till machines 10. Residue management and Basal N Management 11.Multi-boom sprayers -Flat fan nozzles 12.Adapting to terminal heat in wheat 13.Relay planting of Mungbean 14.Travelling Seminar / Training on 'better bet' conservation agriculture based practices