Effects of grass vegetation strips on soil conservation and crop yield under rainfed conditions in the Indian sub-Himalayas
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Published source details
Ghosh B.N., Dogra P., Bhattacharyya R., Sharma N.K. & Dadhwal K.S. (2012) Effects of grass vegetation strips on soil conservation and crop yield under rainfed conditions in the Indian sub-Himalayas. Soil Use and Management, 28, 635-646.
Published source details Ghosh B.N., Dogra P., Bhattacharyya R., Sharma N.K. & Dadhwal K.S. (2012) Effects of grass vegetation strips on soil conservation and crop yield under rainfed conditions in the Indian sub-Himalayas. Soil Use and Management, 28, 635-646.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Add mulch to crops Action Link |
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Amend the soil with manures and agricultural composts Action Link |
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Change tillage practices Action Link |
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Add mulch to crops
A controlled, randomized, replicated experiment in 2007-2010 on sandy silt-loam in India (Ghosh et al, 2012) found lower soil loss and runoff from the palmarosa Cymbopogon martinii treatment with mulching, organic manures and minimal tillage (3.4 t/ha, 234 mm), than with no vegetation barrier (7.1 t/ha, 428 mm). The panicum without mulch treatment was less effective (5.2 t/ha, 356 mm) than mulched palmarosa. Maize Zea mays yield was 43% higher under minimal tillage with mulched palmarosa compared to no vegetation barrier with conventional tillage. The succeeding wheat Triticum aestivum yield was on average 73% higher in the palmarosa relative to panicum treatment, and 99% higher than with no vegetation barrier. It is not clear whether these results were due to organic amendments, mulching or reduced tillage. There were three replications of three treatments in a maize-wheat crop rotation: conventional tillage with no vegetation barrier but applying fertilizers and herbicides; conventional tillage with a panicum Panicum maximum vegetation barrier, fertilizers and herbicides; minimal tillage (30% crop cover retained) with a palmarosa vegetation barrier plus mulching and farmyard manure, vermicompost (produced by worms) and poultry manure applications. Plots were 100 x 20 m.
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Amend the soil with manures and agricultural composts
A controlled, randomized, replicated experiment in 2007-2010 on sandy silt-loam in India (Ghosh et al. 2012) found lower soil loss (3.4 t/ha) and runoff (234 mm of water) when organic manures, mulching and minimal tillage were applied to plots with a palmarosa Cymbopogon martini vegetation barrier than when conventional inputs were applied to plots with no vegetation barrier (7.1 t/ha and 428 mm respectively). The palmarosa barrier treatment was also more effective than a panicum Panicum maximum barrier treatment with conventional inputs (5.2 t/ha, 356 mm). Maize Zea mays yield was 13% lower in the palmarosa compared to panicum treatment, but 43% higher than having no vegetation barrier. Wheat Triticum aestivum yield was on average 73% higher in the palmarosa relative to panicum treatment, and 99% higher than with no vegetation barrier. It is not clear whether these results were due to organic amendments, mulching or reduced tillage. There were three replications (using 100 x 20 m plots) of three treatments in a maize-wheat crop rotation: no vegetation barrier with conventional tillage, fertilizers and chemical weed control; panicum barrier with conventional inputs; and a palmarosa barrier (with farmyard manure, vermicompost (produced by worms), poultry manure, minimal tillage, or weed mulching.
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Change tillage practices
A controlled, randomized, replicated experiment in 2007-2010 on sandy silt-loam in India (Ghosh et al. 2012) found that soil loss and runoff were lower under minimal tillage with palmarosa Cymbopogon martini (3.4 t/ha and 234 mm, respectively), than with no vegetation barrier (7.1 t/ha, 428 mm). Conventional tillage with panicum was less effective (5.2 t/ha, 356 mm) than conventional tillage with palmarosa. Maize Zea mays yield was 43% higher under minimal tillage with palmarosa compared to no vegetation barrier with conventional tillage. The succeeding wheat Triticum aestivum yield was on average 73% higher in the palmarosa relative to panicum treatment, and 99% higher than with no vegetation barrier. It was not clear whether these results were due to organic amendments, mulching or reduced tillage. There were three replications of three treatments in a maize-wheat crop rotation: conventional tillage with no vegetation barrier but applying fertilizers and herbicides; conventional tillage with a panicum Panicum maximum vegetation barrier, fertilizers and herbicides; minimal tillage (30% crop cover retained) with a palmarosa vegetation barrier plus mulching and farmyard manure, vermicompost (produced by worms) and poultry manure applications. Plots were 100 x 20 m.
Output references
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