India 2018

52 India 2018
plant species of Thar Desert, was done in the field, the species rehabilitation
was successful under natural conditions. Mridaparikshak, mini lab for soil
testing and fertilizer recommendation, was further upgraded for more soil
parameters. The equipment is now IT enabled to provide soil and crop specific
fertilizer recommendations directly to farmers on their mobiles. Nanocomposites
were developed by trapping novel biologically synthesized
nanoparticles in aluminosilicate, which modifies its surface and pores making
them ideal for varied aquaculture applications. Fertilizer-use efficiency increased
by 42-67% for different crops under different drip-fertigation treatments than
soil application.
This observation led to the establishment of 14 dug-well drip-fertigation
units in Cuttack and Dhenkanal districts of Odisha, and enhanced farmers'
income. A comprehensive water resource planning was developed for 3,900 ha,
located within 15 km from the coast line in Mahakalapada of Odisha. Based on
the water availability in creeks and water harvesting structures, suitable crop
planning was proposed for the region. In Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, salinity
and sodicity mapping of canal commands, was done using geophysical survey
technology (DUALEM-21) for developing salinity management improved
strategies. To harness productivity of Sharda Sahayak Canal seepage water a
pond-based farming system module was initiated under farmers' participatory
mode at Lucknow.
Climate Change and Resilient Agriculture
Forecasting studies of rice yields using DSSAT (Decision Support System for
Agrotechnology Transfer) rice model predicted that, all states in the eastern
region are likely to experience reduced yields of below or equal to 10% during
mid-century climate change scenarios except Bihar. Net global warming
potential (NGWP) and Greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) were influenced by
tillage and residue treatments. Temperature-based phenology model, developed
for mango fruitfly using temperature change projections for the year 2050,
indicated that at least a certain proportion of Bactrocera zonata population can
establish and survive throughout the year. Hence, wide area management
strategies are advised to restrict or slow down its incidence and population
dynamics.
Genetic Resources
Seventeen explorations were undertaken and 1,115 accessions, including 531
of wild species were added to the germplasm collection. Herbarium specimens,
387, were added to the National Herbarium of Cultivated Plants. In the National
Gene bank, germplasm for long-term storage comprised 10,224 accessions of
orthodox seed species; along with cryopreservation of 14 shoot tips/ meristems
of vegetatively propagated species and 14 accessions in the in vitro Gene bank.
A total of 31,110 accessions were imported from 39 countries; the promising
introductions were rice accessions having high yield (EC881897-903), and
salinity (EC881904-1905) and submergence tolerance (EC881906 and EC887557)
from the Philippines, and wheat with heat tolerance from the USA. Large scale