<strong>Farming</strong> <strong>Systems</strong> <strong>Design</strong> <strong>2007</strong> Field-farm scale design and improvement implementation of OFTs the average yield of rice as well as utera crops were increased significantly (Table 2). Table 1: Impact of on-farm research on area of rice varieties Name of rice varieties - Swarna - MTU-1001 - IR -64 - Mahamaya - IR -36 - Safri - Gurmatiya - Bambleshwari - MTU-1010 - HMT - Others Area (ha) Before OFT After OFT 68.3 59.4 - 28.6 18.5 20.0 12.4 36.2 21.2 20.1 49.6 6.5 32.1 1.2 - 4.6 6.0 12.0 12.2 24.9 11.3 10.0 Change (%) - 13.03 - + 8.11 + 191.94 - 5.19 - 86.89 - 96.26 - + 100.00 + 104.09 - 11.50 Rank I III II Total 220.3 223.5 Table 2: Impact of OFT on productivity of major crops S.No. Crops Productivity (q/ha) Change (%) Before OFT After OFT 1. Rice 18.7 29.6 58.29 2. Lathyrus 2.1 5.1 142.86 3. Chickpea 2.6 3.8 46.15 4. Lentil 1.2 2.5 108.33 5. Linseed 1.6 2.3 43.75 Conclusions The findings shows that during OFTs the rice yield was increased by more than 58 per cent and maximum 142.9 per cent increase was recorded in Lathyrus followed by 108.33 per cent in lentil and 46.2 and 43.8 per cent in chickpea and linseed, respectively. The system analysis for the rice - utera cropping system indicates that due to implementation of OFTs the average yield of rice as well as utera crops were increased significantly due to (i) Introduction of new varieties of rice and utera crops, (ii) Increase in production of rice and utera crops and (iii) For profitable rice-utera system, crop management initiating from rice to utera crops is important. - 34 -
<strong>Farming</strong> <strong>Systems</strong> <strong>Design</strong> <strong>2007</strong> Field-farm scale design and improvement FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH ON CROP DIVERSIFICATION, TILLAGE, AND MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON YIELD, PESTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN A SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT A. Lenssen 1 , U. Sainju 2 , T. Caesar-TonThat 3 , B. Allen 4 , R. Lartey 5 1 USDA, ARS, Agricultural <strong>Systems</strong> Research Unit, Sidney, MT, 59270 USA, andy.lenssen@ars.usda.gov 2 USDA, ARS, ASRU, Sidney, MT, 59270 USA, upendra.sainju@ars.usda.gov 3 USDA, ARS, ASRU, Sidney, MT, 59270 USA, thecan.caesar@ars.usda.gov 4 USDA, ARS, ASRU, Sidney, MT, 59270 USA, brett.allen@ars.usda.gov 5 USDA, ARS, ASRU, Sidney, MT, 59270 USA, robert.lartey@ars.usda.gov Introduction Available water, depleted soil quality, and weed competition are important constraints to crop production in the northern Great Plains. The traditional rotation in the region has been spring wheat with summer fallow, which is used to accrue additional soil moisture for the subsequent wheat crop. Tillage during fallow periods controls weeds, which otherwise would use substantial amounts of water and inorganic nitrogen, decreasing the efficiency of fallow and increasing soil erosion. Chemical fallow and zero tillage systems improve soil water status for subsequent crops (Lenssen et al., <strong>2007</strong>a), allowing for increased cropping intensity and improved nutrient cycling (Lenssen et al., <strong>2007</strong>b) and soil quality (Sainju et al., 2006). However, zero tillage systems can result in greater weed problems. Multi-tactic, cultural management systems, including use of higher seeding rates, banded fertilizer applications, variation in planting dates, and greater crop stubble retention, can improve management of weeds (Anderson, 2005). The objectives of the trial are to compare influences of rotation, tillage, and management system on crop yield, yield components and quality, water and nitrogen use and use efficiencies, soil quality, microbial diversity, carbon sequestration, and weed dynamics. Methodology A long-term dryland field trial was initiated in 2004 comparing four crop rotations in four tillage and management systems. The experimental design is a randomized complete block in a split-plot arrangement. Tillage system is the whole-plot factor, and includes zero-tillage and conventional preplant tillage by a single pass with a field cultivator. Subplots are a complete factorial of management system and rotation components. Rotations are continuous spring wheat (SW), SWpea, SW-barley for hay-pea, and SW-barley for hay-corn-pea, with each component present every year. Management systems are conventional and ecological practices, and these practices vary by crop. Conventional management practices include standard seeding rate, broadcast nitrogen fertilizer for cereals, and short stubble heights at harvest. Ecological management practices include increased seeding rate, banded nitrogen fertilizer for cereals, delayed planting date for SW, and taller stubble height. Fertilization and pest control practices are typical for the region, except that barley hay does not receive any herbicide application until after harvest. The design allows for comparing influences of rotation, tillage, and management on crop yield and quality, water and nitrogen use, soil quality, microbial diversity, carbon sequestration, and pest dynamics. Long-term average annual precipitation is 320 mm, with about 80% occurring from April through September. The field site is in an area mapped as Williams loam (fine-loamy, mixed, Typic Argiborolls), located near Sidney, Montana, USA (latitude 47 o 46’N; longitude 104 o 16’W; altitude 690 m). Results After three years, the main effects of rotation and management system are significant for grain yields of spring wheat and pea (Table 1). Spring wheat yield increased when produced in a two-year rotation with pea, but additional yield was not gained by less frequent planting than every other year. Pea yield was greater following barley hay or corn than spring wheat. Hay production of barley was - 35 -
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