NICRA Interventions
Anantapur
Subsoiling with Chisel plough
Under in-situ soil moisture conservation, KVK demonstrated sub-soiling with chisel plough in groundnut were conducted in 20 ha covering 50 farmers fields in NICRA adopted villages of Peravali, Chekrayapeta and Chamaluru. These villages experiences uncertainty in productivity due to recurrent intermittent drought or erratic rainfall. The soils are sloppy (2-4%) and shallow in depth (10-15cm) with low water holding capacity. Sub soiling was practiced to conserve soil moisture and for improving the productivity. This is achieved due to breaking of hard pan that helps in percolation of rainwater into lower layers of soil from where it is not easily lost by evaporation and aids to deeper rooting. Subsequently , soil moisture and applied nutrients from the profile are better utilized by the plants and productivity of crops will enhance.
Chittoor
Demonstration of drought tolerant Groundnut Variety, Dharani
Supplied drought tolerant Dharani variety seed to 15 farmers for conducting demonstrations in Groundnut with an objective to improve productivity under rainfed situation. As a part of this, soil samples of beneficiary farmers were analysed and educated them about fertilizer application according to soil health card reports. Sub soiling with tractor drawn sub soiler were demonstrated in groundnut cultivation to improve rain water infiltration during last week of June month, 2020
Supplying of Dharani seeds to farmers
Kurnool
Climate resilient intercropping system
Adverse weather conditions like delayed onset of rains and prolonged dry spells during the crop period is very common in rain fed situation. Such situation results in economic losses to the farmers due to the partial or total failure of the sole crops in NICRA village of Kurnool district. In order to utilize the bi-model distribution of rainfall and also to insure against crop failure due to drought during crop growth period, millet based inter cropping systems were demonstrated as a climate resilient option as against sole crops. Redgram + Setaria (1:5) inter cropping system was demonstrated in an area of 42.6 ha covering 52 farmers in order to increase the cropping intensity and net returns of the farmers. Now the crop at Seedlings to Vegetative stage.
Inter cropping System (Redgram + Setaria 1:5)
Srikakulam
Flood tolerant paddy varieties
In the NICRA adopted villages of Sirisuvada & VN Puram in Kothuru mandal, Ponnam in Srikakulam mandal and Kondavalasa in Sarubujjili mandal, paddy crop is often prone to floods and submergence in the low lying areas due to excess rainfall during monsoon or due to overflow of hill streams. In order to mitigate the effects of inundation on paddy crop in medium to high inundation areas, flood tolerant varieties (RGL-2537andMTU-1061) have been assessed for their performance by covering 50 ha. Present the paddy crop was at seedling stage.
West Godavari
Flood tolerant paddy varieties
Organised One day Training programme on "Flood tolerant varieties and Kharif nursery management" at NICRA adopted village Mathsyapuri (Veeravasaram mandal). Sri.M.V.Krishnaji, Subject Matter Specialist (Extension) trained the farmers on newly released flood tolerant varieties in paddy crop, flood ameliorating measures to be followed during nursery stage, seed rate, seed treatment, Stem borer & Gall midge management in paddy nurseries, pre & post emergence herbicides recommended for paddy nurseries, nutrient management and other contingency measures for paddy nurseries. Followed by distributed flood tolerant varieties viz., MTU 1061 (Indra) and MTU 1064 (Amara) for organizing Kharif â 2020 demonstrations on "Up scaling of flood tolerant varieties in Paddy crop".
Training programme and seed distribution of flood tolerant varieties of paddy
Khammam
Climate resilient intercropping system
Cotton+Redgram intercropping was demonstrated as a climate resilient crop production practice in NICRA villages of the Khammam district with an objective of effectively utilizing soil moisture and nutrients from different depths of soil and to mitigate the risk of total crop failure during periods of extreme weather events. The NICRA village received heavy rainfall during the months of September and October when the cotton crop was at flowering and boll bursting stage and as a result cotton crop was damaged heavily. Cotton and pigeonpea intercropping system in 6:1 ratio was taken up for obtaining additional benefit compared to sole cotton. At present the crop was at 30 days old.
Distribution of redgram seeds to the farmers
Cotton+Redgram
Nalgonda
Broad Bed Furrow planter sown redgram
Under in-situ moisture conservation KVK demonstrated redgram sowing with Broad Bed Furrow planter (BBF) in 13ha covering 14 farmers in NICRA adopted village of Nandyalavarigudem to enhancing water use efficiency and crop productivity.. In general, farmers sow the redgram with country plough which is time and labour intensive. During extreme rainfall events, the crop gets effected either due to prolonged dry spells or water logging. The BBF technology has many advantages including In-situ conservation of rain water in furrows, better drainage of excess water and proper aeration in the seed bed and root zone, increase in water use efficiency, less moisture stress during non- rainy days, time saving, requires 25% lower seed rate, reduce crop lodging and increase in crop productivity (10-15%).
BBF planter sown redgram field
Namakkal
Compartmental bunding in groundnut and small onion
Compartmental bunding can be formed after ploughing or before sowing. The lands are divided into small compartments with 0.5 m height with pre determined size to retain the rainfall and act as a mini catchment dam, store the rainfall received in the compartments for longer period and to arrest soil erosion. It infiltrates the water in the soil and helps to conserve soil moisture. It is effective moisture conservation measures in dryland and mainly suitable for rainfed areas. Moisture content in compartmental bund field is 28% where as in control plot i.e.12% after 7 days rain. The yield recorded in compartmental bund fields in 2019-20 was 1455kg/ha as against to 1193kg/ha in normal fields and did not show any withered condition even in 25 days dry spell.
Compartmental bunding in Groundnut
Villupuram
Demonstration of short duration blackgram variety, VBN 8
KVK demonstrated high yielding and short duration blackgram variety, VBN 8 at NICRA village in an area of 10 ha by covering 50 farmers. The special features of this variety is determinate plant type with synchronized maturity and highly resistant to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV) disease, resistant to leaf crinkle and moderately resistant to powdery mildew diseases.
Blackgram (VBN 8) seed distribution