Current Science

N. S. Abeysingha ¹, Man Singh ¹, V. K. Sehgal ², Manoj Khanna ¹, Himanshu Pathak ³, Priyantha Jayakody ⁴, Raghavan Srinivasan ⁵

Affiliations
1 Water Technology Center, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 Division of Agricultural Physics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
3 Division of Environmental Science, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
4 Allegro Recruitment Consulting, Melbourne, Victoria, AU
5 Spatial Sciences Lab, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US

Abstract

Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to assess the water yield and evapotranspiration for the Gomti River basin, India for over a period of 25 years (1985-2010). Streamflow calibration and validation of results showed satisfactory performance (NSE: 0.68-0.51; RSR: 0.56-0.68; |PBIAS|: 2.5-24.3) of the model. The water yield was higher in the midstream sub-basins compared to upstream and downstream sub-basins whereas evapotranspiration per unit area decreased from upstream to the downstream. Both evapotranspiration and water yield at upstream and midstream sub-basins increased from 1985 to 2010, whereas water yield at downstream decreased from 1985 to 2010. We found that the spatial and temporal patterns of evapotranspiration and water yield were closely linked to climatic conditions and irrigation in the basin. The long-term trends in water yield point to a drying tendency of downstream sub-basin covering the districts of Jaunpur and Varanasi.

Keywords

Irrigation, Rainfall, Modelling, Streamflow, Water Use.

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Dipak Kumar Gupta ¹, Arti Bhatia ¹, T. K. Das ², Parmendra Singh ², Amit Kumar ¹, Niveta Jain ¹, Himanshu Pathak ¹

Affiliations
1 Centre for Environment Science and Climate Resilient Agriculture, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 Division of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN

Abstract

To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from rice and wheat cultivation several mitigation options have been suggested. However, economic impact of these technologies has been poorly documented. In the present study economic analysis of some emerging GHG mitigation technologies for rice-wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains has been carried out. The experiment consisted of six combinations of wheat- rice crop rotation using eight treatments, including conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), zero tilled wheat (ZTW), transplanted puddled rice (TPR), dry direct seeded rice (DSR), intermittent wetting and drying (IWD), application of rice straw (RS) with ZTW and use of neem oil-coated urea (NOCU) in TPR and ZTW. Cost of various inputs and income from grain and straw were used for computing the benefit to cost (B : C) ratio in the different treatments. ZTW showed higher yield and B : C ratio compared to CTW along with reduction in fuel consumption during tillage operation. In spite of lower yield under DSR and IWD, saving of water, labour and energy in these treatments lowered the cost of cultivation and enhanced B : C ratio similar to TPR. Application of rice straw and NOCU also showed positive impact on crop yield. B : C ratio of rice-wheat system ranged from 1.62 to 1.86 in the first year and from 1.86 to 2.16 in the second year. B : C ratio was significantly higher in all the treatments in the experimented rice-wheat system compared to conventional system, i.e. CTW-TPR. The ZTW + RR - DSR (WR5) showed highest B : C ratio followed by ZTW + DSR (WR4) in both the seasons.

Keywords

Economic Analysis, Greenhouse Gases, Mitigation Technology, Rice–Wheat System.

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Upama Mishra ¹, Sunit K. Tyagi ¹, Raveendra N. Gadag ¹, Kandasamy Elayaraja ², Himanshu Pathak ³

Affiliations
1 Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 Directorate of Seed Research, Kushmaur, Mau 275 103, IN
3 CESCRA, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN

Abstract

Phytoglycogen and starch components were assayed in twelve lines of fresh kernels belonging to different types of corns such as normal corn (field corn), sweet corn and quality protein maize (QPM). The technique, using single kernel and a series of digestions and dilutions, measured glucano lactone contents of soluble and insoluble components in the three groups of corn with distinct and diverse uses. Extensive variability was found among sweet corn, field corn and QPM for the water soluble and insoluble carbohydrate components and kernel weight, especially for genotypes belonging to different types of corn. Further, such differences are broadly related and comprehendible to distinct types which give an insight into the unique characteristics and their end use.

Keywords

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase, Kernel, Maize, Phytoglycogen, Starch.

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