Study

Effects of grass vegetation strips on soil conservation and crop yield under rainfed conditions in the Indian sub-Himalayas

  • Published source details Ghosh B.N., Dogra P., Bhattacharyya R., Sharma N.K. & Dadhwal K.S. (2012) Effects of grass vegetation strips on soil conservation and crop yield under rainfed conditions in the Indian sub-Himalayas. Soil Use and Management, 28, 635-646.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Add mulch to crops

Action Link
Soil Fertility

Amend the soil with manures and agricultural composts

Action Link
Soil Fertility

Change tillage practices

Action Link
Soil Fertility
  1. Add mulch to crops

    A controlled, randomized, replicated experiment in 2007-2010 on sandy silt-loam in India (Ghosh et al, 2012) found lower soil loss and runoff from the palmarosa Cymbopogon martinii treatment with mulching, organic manures and minimal tillage (3.4 t/ha, 234 mm), than with no vegetation barrier (7.1 t/ha, 428 mm). The panicum without mulch treatment was less effective (5.2 t/ha, 356 mm) than mulched palmarosa. Maize Zea mays yield was 43% higher under minimal tillage with mulched palmarosa compared to no vegetation barrier with conventional tillage. The succeeding wheat Triticum aestivum yield was on average 73% higher in the palmarosa relative to panicum treatment, and 99% higher than with no vegetation barrier. It is not clear whether these results were due to organic amendments, mulching or reduced tillage. There were three replications of three treatments in a maize-wheat crop rotation: conventional tillage with no vegetation barrier but applying fertilizers and herbicides; conventional tillage with a panicum Panicum maximum vegetation barrier, fertilizers and herbicides; minimal tillage (30% crop cover retained) with a palmarosa vegetation barrier plus mulching and farmyard manure, vermicompost (produced by worms) and poultry manure applications. Plots were 100 x 20 m.

     

  2. Amend the soil with manures and agricultural composts

    A controlled, randomized, replicated experiment in 2007-2010 on sandy silt-loam in India (Ghosh et al. 2012) found lower soil loss (3.4 t/ha) and runoff (234 mm of water) when organic manures, mulching and minimal tillage were applied to plots with a palmarosa Cymbopogon martini vegetation barrier than when conventional inputs were applied to plots with no vegetation barrier (7.1 t/ha and 428 mm respectively). The palmarosa barrier treatment was also more effective than a panicum Panicum maximum barrier treatment with conventional inputs (5.2 t/ha, 356 mm). Maize Zea mays yield was 13% lower in the palmarosa compared to panicum treatment, but 43% higher than having no vegetation barrier. Wheat Triticum aestivum yield was on average 73% higher in the palmarosa relative to panicum treatment, and 99% higher than with no vegetation barrier. It is not clear whether these results were due to organic amendments, mulching or reduced tillage. There were three replications (using 100 x 20 m plots) of three treatments in a maize-wheat crop rotation: no vegetation barrier with conventional tillage, fertilizers and chemical weed control; panicum barrier with conventional inputs; and a palmarosa barrier (with farmyard manure, vermicompost (produced by worms), poultry manure, minimal tillage, or weed mulching.

     

  3. Change tillage practices

    A controlled, randomized, replicated experiment in 2007-2010 on sandy silt-loam in India (Ghosh et al. 2012) found that soil loss and runoff were lower under minimal tillage with palmarosa Cymbopogon martini (3.4 t/ha and 234 mm, respectively), than with no vegetation barrier (7.1 t/ha, 428 mm). Conventional tillage with panicum was less effective (5.2 t/ha, 356 mm) than conventional tillage with palmarosa. Maize Zea mays yield was 43% higher under minimal tillage with palmarosa compared to no vegetation barrier with conventional tillage. The succeeding wheat Triticum aestivum yield was on average 73% higher in the palmarosa relative to panicum treatment, and 99% higher than with no vegetation barrier. It was not clear whether these results were due to organic amendments, mulching or reduced tillage. There were three replications of three treatments in a maize-wheat crop rotation: conventional tillage with no vegetation barrier but applying fertilizers and herbicides; conventional tillage with a panicum Panicum maximum vegetation barrier, fertilizers and herbicides; minimal tillage (30% crop cover retained) with a palmarosa vegetation barrier plus mulching and farmyard manure, vermicompost (produced by worms) and poultry manure applications. Plots were 100 x 20 m.

     

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