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Approaches to the Management of Vertisols in the Semi-Arid Tropics: The ICRISAT Experience

OAR@ICRISAT

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/4431/
 
Title Approaches to the Management of Vertisols in the Semi-Arid Tropics: The ICRISAT Experience
 
Creator Virmani, S M
Rao, M R
Srivastava, K L
 
Subject Soil Science
Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
 
Description Vertisols are potenriall~vp roductive soils within the dry tropics. When deep, these soils have a high
water storage capacity. which allows 6.- 7months ofcropping in India ifthe rainfallexceeds 750mm.
However, because of their high clay content and relatedphysicalproperties. they present a challenge
in their management for increased crop production. The small farmers of limited means in the Indian
semi-arid troplcs generev prefer to raise on/-v one crop in a year (during the post rain.^ season) on
these soils even in areas with high and assured rainfall.
ICRISA T has now asscm bled a technology for improved management of Vertisols. It involves
growing t wo crops, one in the rainy season and another in the postrainv season. Application of the
technology has resulted in considerable improvement in erosion control and moisture conservation.
higher rainfall-use efficiencv. and annual~vieldso f'about 3000 kg ha-1 ofc ereal and IOQO kg ha-1 of
legume grains for the lasf 9 .vears at ICRISA 7' experimen fa1 watersheds.
The technology has been evaluated in on-farm tests in a few agrocliniates of the Indian semi-arid
tropics with moderate but dependable rainfall. Gross profits from the improved technology were 2 to
5 tinles higher than those from the traditional technology. which involved only postrainy-season
cropping. The improved technology required additional expenses ranging from Rs 590 to 1480 ha-1
(US$ I = Rs I2 approximately), but it gave a marginalrate ofreturn averaging23095. The tests also
showed that the technology can be adapted to local conditions by suitable modification of one or
more ofthe components involved. The transfer of this technology to other Vertisols in agroclimates
similar to that of ICRISAT Center is relatively straightforward, but transfer to those in other
agroclimates requires further testing. Establishment of a coordinated program for multilocational
testing would help rapid exchange of information on experiences with the performance of the
technology in various environments.
 
Date 1989
 
Type Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/4431/1/CP_369.pdf
Virmani, S M and Rao, M R and Srivastava, K L (1989) Approaches to the Management of Vertisols in the Semi-Arid Tropics: The ICRISAT Experience. In: IBSRAM Inaugural Workshop: Management of Vertisols for Improved Agricultural Production, 18-22 Feb 1985, Patancheru, Andhra Prdesh India.