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Interpretive Summaries:
2007 - Maximizing Crop Yield Through Site Specific Nutrient Management in Uttar Pradesh
2006 - Maximizing Crop Yield Through Site Specific Nutrient Management in Uttar Pradesh
2005 - Assessment of P and K Requirements for Maximum Economic Yield of Major Crops of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh
Maximizing Crop Yield through Site-Specific Nutrient Management in Uttar Pradesh, 2007
Rice/Wheat—The production potential of hybrid rice is much higher than that of inbred varieties and is one of the better options for increasing food grain production in India. But the desired productivity of hybrid rice is not being obtained, primarily due to inadequate and imbalanced nutrient use. This experiment was planned to evaluate the effect of optimum doses of nutrients on hybrid rice and to popularize the importance of adequate nutrients among farmers. Maximum economic yield (MEY) of hybrid rice (ranging from 8.35 to 9.98 t/ha and averaging 9.1 t/ha) was obtained with site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) application of 225-112-90 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha plus sulfur (S) and zinc (Zn). The maximum net return of Rs.56,079/ha (US$1,438) and a benefit-to-cost (BCR) ratio of 7.8 was recorded under this treatment. Supplementation of 60 kg K2O/ha plus farmer fertilizer practice (FFP) increased yield by 1,447 kg/ha (24%) compared to FFP alone. Addition of S and Zn increased yield by another 10%. It was interesting to observe that increasing the rates of NPK by 50% substantially increased the yield by 18%. However, increasing the doses of NP only without K tended to decrease the yield. These results indicated that higher doses of NPK in a balanced way with supplementation of deficient secondary and micronutrient is necessary to exploit the yield potential of hybrid rice.
Wheat is the most important rabi cereal crop of the state of Uttar Pradesh, yet average productivity is 2,596 kg/ha, which is quite low if compared to average yields achieved in the Punjab (4,200 kg/ha) and Haryana (4,053 kg/ha). Farmers apply sub-optimal doses of N and P and ignore K, secondary, and micronutrients. As such, the efficiency of applied inputs is declining. Adaptive trials were initiated to assess effect of balanced doses of NPK with and without S and Zn. Maximum economic yield under SSNM ranged from 5.39 to 5.89 t/ha (average of 5.61 t/ha). Mean yield under the improved state recommendation (ISR), state recommendation (SR) and state soil test based recommendation (STR) were 5.4, 4.7, and 4.5 t/ha, respectively. Average responses to SSNM over FFP was 1,594 kg/ha (40%) while over ISR, SR, and STR the corresponding yield increases were 1,403 kg/ha (35%), 659 kg/ha (16%), and 494 kg/ha (12%). The highest mean net return over FFP of Rs.13,709/ha (US$352) was recorded under SSNM followed by Rs.13,456 (US$353) under ISR, Rs.4,127 (US$106) under SR, and Rs.4,063 (US$104) under STR.
The constraints of low productivity of rice and wheat crops are not only inadequate and unbalanced fertilization, but also include delayed planting, low plant population, old seedling age in rice and improper methods of wheat sowing. An on-station experiment was continued at C.S. Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, to optimize plant population and age of seedling in rice and to optimize date of sowing and seed rate in wheat and develop correct fertilizer schedule for rice and wheat to achieve maximum economic yield of rice-wheat system. All combinations of two varieties, three plant spacings of rice and three seeding rates of wheat, two dates of planting/sowing, and three fertilizer combinations were tested in rice-wheat and wheat-rice sequences. In rice, PHB-71 was found to be superior to Pant-12 as it had a 22% higher yield. In wheat, PBW-343 yielded 3,850 kg/ha compared to 3,605 kg/ha for Atal. Transplanting with 3-week rice seedling age gave the highest yield of 6,206 kg/ha compared to 4,498 kg/ha with 5-week old seedlings. A November sowing date gave a higher yield of 3,955 kg/ha while the December sowing yielded 3,500 kg/ha. Balanced and adequate fertilizer comprising of 180-75-60 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha plus 40 kg S/ha + 25 kg zinc sulfate (ZnSO4)/ha in case of rice and 150-60-40 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha plus the same rates of S and Zn in the case of wheat gave the highest yield of 6,012 kg/ha of rice and 5,030 kg/ha of wheat. A plant spacing of 20 cm x 10 cm (50 hill/m2) in rice was most preferable. In the case of wheat, a 125 kg/ha seeding rate applied in rows was determined best.
Potato—Uttar Pradesh occupies 0.44 M ha, sharing 33% of India’s total potato area and 44% of its total production of 10.2 M t. Productivity hovers around 23 t/ha, which is one-third higher than the national average, but below its yield potential under balanced fertilization. Because of intensive agricultural systems in the Central Plain Zone, delayed planting of potato results in low crop productivity. Balanced and adequate fertilization mitigates the adverse effect of low temperature which late-sown potato crops are bound to face. The research project was continued to workout the optimum ratio of N, P, and K use for maximum yield of potato. Maximum tuber yield of 36 t/ha was recorded using a NPK use ratio of 2:1.25:2. The corresponding application rates were 200-125-200 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha, respectively. The state recommended ratio of 2:1:1 with corresponding rates of 150-75-75 kg/ha yielded 30 t/ha. Omission of K reduced tuber yield by 11.6 t/ha. Additional net returns under the 2:1.25:2 ratio were Rs.25,482/ha (US$653) over the SR which was Rs.18,965 (US$486). Omission of P and K from the treatment proved uneconomical with negative returns. NWZ India-69
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