Statistical models for assessing sustainability of rainfed practices of crops from long term experiments

Abstract

In All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA), field experiments are conducted on different research themes like rain water management, integrated nutrient management, energy management, cropping systems, crop improvement, alternate land use and integrated farming systems. Statistical models are developed for assessing the effects of soil, weather, crop and socio-economic parameters on yield of rainfed crops at different locations. Based on long term experiments conducted in the project, efficient statistical models are described in this paper for rainfed crops in different soil and agro-climatic conditions. The models were developed for the crop yield data over years with the objective of (i) efficient prediction of crop yield; (ii) assessing effects of crop seasonal rainfall on yield; (iii) assessing effects of soil fertility of nutrients on yield; (iv) combined model to assess the interactive effects of soil x rainfall x fertilizer variables on yield; (v) assessment of efficiency of treatments based on a sustainability yield index (SYI); and (vi) calibrating optimum fertilizer doses at varying soil fertility and crop seasonal rainfall situations. The modeling, treatment evaluation based on SYI procedure are described in this paper using permanent manorial trials conducted on finger millet at Bangalore in semi-arid alfisols.