MadrasAgric.J.,2024; https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.501139

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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Received: 11 Aug 2024

Revised: 10 Sep 2024

Accepted: 15 Sep 2024

*Corresponding author's e-mail: nagarajan.m@tnau.ac.in

Effect of Dry Land Technologies on Water Use and

Yield of Millet Crops

M Nagarajan, R Lalitha, E Sujitha, A Valliammai and M Manikandan

Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute,

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,

Kumulur, Lalgudi, Trichy – 621712, Tamil Nadu

ABSTRACT

Preserving soil moisture is an important means to maintain the

necessary water for agricultural production and also to minimize the

irrigation needs of the crops. This is especially important in areas

where rainwater for irrigation is scarce or decreasing due to climate

change or other causes. A field trial was conducted with the Ragi crop

to study the increase in infiltration rate and moisture content under

subsoil and to estimate the yield and water use efficiency of the millet

crop at Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute, Kumulur.

A non-replicated trial with the treatments of deep tillage with a chisel

plow, coir pith application in subsoil, random tie ridging, broad bed,

and furrows, straw mulching, and vetiver bunding was conducted. The

average raise of moisture content, higher range (8%) was observed in

the treatment of coir pith application (T2), and followed by 6% raise

in deep tillage, random tied ridging broad bed furrows and straw

mulching. The maximum infiltration was found to be in deep tillage (4.7

cm/hr), followed by straw mulching in the range of 4.5 cm/hr. The higher

yield 1121 kg/ha and WUE 5.20 kg/ha mm was obtained in treatment

T2 (coir pith application) followed by treatment T3 (random tied ridging)

as 1067 kg/ha & WUE of 4.95 kg/ha mm.

Keywords: Dryland technologies, Ragi crop, Coir pith applicator, Vetiver, Broad bed furrows, Random tied ridging

INTRODUCTION

Dry land in India make up 68.4% of the cropped

area out of a total cultivated extent of 162.03 million

hectares (Ashwani Kumar et al., 2018). Due to the

greater focus on irrigated agriculture during the

Green Revolution, rainfed agriculture has received

comparatively minimal attention. To meet the growing

demand for food, expanding agricultural areasis

feasible primarily through the utilization of dryland.

Bringing these vast stretches of dry lands under

green cover is an urgent requirement for ecological

restoration (Ramos et al., 2011).

Rainfall is the primary source of water, directly

influencing crop and biomass production by falling

on fields and supporting surface and groundwater

irrigation. The mean annual rainfall in Kumulur ranges

from 800 mm to 900 mm, with the highest rainfall

occurring between August and November. This rainfall

can be effectively utilized by implementing appropriate

dryland technologies (Vaidheki and Arulanandu, 2017)

The key to improving the sustainability of dryland

farming systems lies in enhancing soil productivity.

Soil productivity is measured by comparing the outputs

or harvests with the inputs of production factors for

specific soil types under a defined management

system (Ebi and Bowen, 2016). Various degradative

processes, such as soil erosion, nutrient runoff,

waterlogging, desertification, acidification, compaction,

crusting, organic matter loss, salinization, nutrient

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depletion through leaching, and the accumulation of

toxic substances, negatively impact soil productivity

(Sharma et al., 2013).

However, soil conservation practices, including

conservation tillage, crop rotation, improved drainage,

residue management, water conservation, terracing,

contour farming, the use of chemical and organic

fertilizers, improved nutrient cycling, and systems

tailored to match soil, climate, and cultivation methods,

can positively affect soil productivity (He et al., 2009).

Therefore, a truly sustainable farming system is one

in which the positive effects of various conservation

practices outweigh or equal the negative effects of

degradative processes. The primary objective of this

research is to study the increase in infiltration rate

and moisture content under subsoil conditions and to

estimate the yield and water use efficiency of millet

crops.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area

A field trial with Ragi crops was conducted at the

Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute,

Kumulur, from September 2020 to January 2021,

with a confirmation trial conducted from September

2021 to January 2022. The institution is located at

10.9338° N, 78.8257° E, at an elevation of 72.2376

meters above mean sea level. The campus covers a

total area of 280 acres. The average annual rainfall

in Kumulur is 881.412 mm, and the average monthly

relative humidity is 60.5%. Various crops, including

rice, maize, sugarcane, ragi, and vegetables, are

grown on the campus.

Treatments

A non-replicated trial was conducted to study the

increase in infiltration rate and moisture content under

subsoil conditions, as well as to estimate the yield and

water use efficiency of millet crops.

The field and crop details are given below. The

images of all the seven treatments are shown in Fig.

Design : Non replicated trail

Plot size

: 16 x 16 m = 256 m²

Crop : Ragi

Variety : Try 1

Crop spacing : 30 x 15 cm

Treatments

Deep tillage with chisel plough

Coir pith application in sub soil

Random tie ridging

Broad bed and furrow

Straw mulching

Cultivation in between vetiver

Control

Methodology

Soil properties

The initial physical and chemical properties of

the soil were analyzed. Various dryland technologies,

such as deep tillage with a chisel plough, coir pith

application in the subsoil, random tied ridging, broad

bed and furrow formation, and straw mulching, were

implemented as different treatments to conserve

rainfall and runoff water. Moisture storage was

monitored daily in each treatment using a ThetaProbe

soil moisture sensor to measure volumetric moisture

content.

Study on crop geometry

The Ragi crop was initially raised in a separate

nursery and then transplanted into the main field for

all treatments 20 days after sowing (DAS). Sowing,

manuring, weeding, and harvesting were carried

out according to the crop production guide and

the cultivation practices adopted for rainfed ragi

by Surendar and Jalaludhin, 2016. Throughout the

crop period, the increase in soil infiltration rate and

moisture content, plant growth, pod development,

yield performance, and water use efficiency under

different

dryland

technology

treatments

were

observed. The soil infiltration rate was estimated using

a double-ring infiltrometer, while soil moisture content

was monitored daily using a ThetaProbe soil moisture

sensor (volumetric method) for the entire crop period.

Coirpith was injected into the subsoil using a

coir pith applicator attached to a tractor, with the

pith placed at a depth of 15 to 30 cm (Ranjan et al.,

2017). Straw for the treatment was chopped into small

pieces and spread across the entire plot, serving as

straw mulch (Ranjan et al.,2017; Ahmad et al., 2020).

In treatment T5, a chisel plough was used to loosen

the soil at a depth of 30-45 cm. For the random tied

ridging treatment (T3), 30 cm ridges and furrows were

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constructed with randomized barriers in each furrow.

The broad bed and furrow treatment (T4) involved

constructing furrows 170 cm wide and 30 x 30 cm

around the bed (Gosai et al., 2009). In treatment T6,

Vetiver grass was planted between the rows of the

Ragi crop, while the control plot followed the traditional

sowing method with a spacing of 30 x 15 cm.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The experiment was conducted during 2021 &

2022 in the month of September to January by Ragi –

Try 1 with seven main treatments and non replications.

Effect of dry land technologies on growth of

Ragi

Before implementing the treatments, the soil’s

physical properties were studied, and the results

are presented in Table 1. The results revealed a

significant impact on plant height and ear head

development across all treatments, as shown in

Table 2. The highest plant height (108 cm) was recorded

in the coir pith application treatment (T2), followed

by deep tillage (T1) at 98.3 cm. The shortest height

Fig. 1 Treatments imposed

Chhisel plough operation

Coirpith applicator

Broad bed and furrows

Random tied ridging

Cultivation in between vertiver

Straw mulching

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Table 1. Soil physical properties

Soil type

Sandy clay loam

F.C

23.8%

PWP

13.48 %

7.8

0.1 ds/m

O.C

0.57 %

N:P:K (kg/ha)

220: 18: 246

Table 2. Influence of treatments on crop growth parameters & soil parameters.

Treatments

Plant

Ht.

(cm)

No.

of ear

heads/

hill

Moisture

content

@ F.C (%)

– before

treatment

imposed

Avg. level of

Increased

moisture

content (@

tillering) after

treatment

imposed (%)

Infiltration

rate before

treatment

imposed

(cm/hr)

Infiltration

rate after

treatment

imposed

(cm/hr)

Deep tillage (T1)

98.3

12.0

23.1

2.52

4.7

Coir pith application (T2)

108.0

12.6

23.3

4.1

Random tied Ridging (T3)

93.1

10.4

23.9

3.4

Broad bed (T4)

91.3

8.0

23.5

3.2

Straw mulching (T5)

85.5

7.6

22.7

4.5

Vetiver Strip cropping (T6)

72.2

6.8

23.1

2.9

Control (T7)

85.8

8.0

23.5

2.6

(72.2 cm) was observed in the vetiver strip cropping

treatment (T6). It was found that increasing

water stress significantly decreased plant height.

Additionally, the maximum number of ear heads per

hill (12.6) was observed in the coir pith application

treatment (T2), followed by deep tillage, which

recorded 12.0 ear heads per hill. The fewest ear heads

per hill (6.8) were recorded in the vetiver strip cropping

treatment.

Impact on treatment of soil moisture

Furthermore, soil moisture content was monitored

continuously on a daily basis for all treatments. The

results revealed that, from an overall perspective, all

treatments led to a significant increase in soil moisture

content after implementation, compared to the period

before the treatments (Fig. 2). The highest average

increase in moisture content, at 8%, was observed in

the coir pith application treatment (T2), followed by a

6% increase in deep tillage, random tied ridging, broad

bed furrows, and straw mulching (Fig. 3). The smallest

average increase in soil moisture, at 4%, was observed

in the vetiver strip cropping and control treatments.

Impact on treatment of Infiltration rate

The infiltration rate was measured using a double-

ring infiltrometer before and after the implementation

of the treatments. The average soil infiltration rate

was found to be 2.52 cm/hr. Infiltration rates for all

treatments were calculated at three different crop

stages (initial, mid, and final), showing a significant

increase in infiltration rate across all treatments. The

highest infiltration rate was observed in deep tillage

(4.7 cm/hr), followed by straw mulching at 4.5 cm/hr.

Among the various treatments evaluated, vetiver strip

cropping exhibited the smallest increase in infiltration

rate, with a recorded value of 2.9 cm/hr, which was

lower compared to the control, as shown in Fig. 4.

Effect of treatments on crop yield

A significantly higher yield of 1085 kg/ha was

recorded with coir pith application (T1), followed by

random tied ridging with a yield of 1050 kg/ha. The

lowest yield of 742 kg/ha was observed with vetiver

strip cropping, while the control yielded 850 kg/ha. The

control yield was 13% higher than vetiver strip cropping

and 22% lower than the coir pith application. In terms

of water use efficiency (WUE), the highest efficiency

was found in coir pith application, with a WUE of 5.31

kg/ha mm (water productivity of Rs. 106.22/ha/mm).

This was followed by random tied ridging and deep

tillage, which had comparable WUE values of 5.12 kg/

ha mm (water productivity of Rs. 102.30/ha/mm). The

lowest WUE was observed in vetiver strip cropping, at

3.63 kg/ha mm (water productivity of Rs. 72.64/ha/

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Table 3. Yield and water productivity

Treatments

Total R.F

& ERF

(mm)

Irrigation @

transplanting

(mm)

Total water

consumed

(mm)

Yield

(kg/ ha)

WUE

(kg/ ha

mm)

Water

Productivity

(Rs./ ha

mm)

Water

Productivity

(kg/ m³)

Deep tillage (T1)

308.65

& 154.3

204.3

1045

5.12

153.45

0.51

Coir pith application

(T2)

1085

5.31

159.32

0.53

Random tied

Ridging (T3)

1050

5.14

154.19

0.51

Broad bed (T4)

1025

5.02

150.51

0.50

Straw mulching (T5)

920

4.50

135.10

0.45

Vetiver Strip

cropping (T6)

742

3.63

108.96

0.36

Control (T7)

850

4.16

124.82

0.42

Madras Agric.J.,2024; https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.501139

Fig. 2 Average soiil moisture content after the treatment implemented

Fig. 3 Average rise of soil moisture before and after the treatment

Madras Agric.J.,2024; https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.501139

Fig. 2 Average soil moisture content after the treatment implemented

Fig. 3 Average rise of soil moisture before and after the treatment

Fig. 2 Average soil moisture content after the treatment implemented

Fig. 3 Average rise of soil moisture before and after the treatment

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Madras Agric.J.,2024; https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.501139

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Fig. 4 Average infiltration rate of soil before and after treatment

Fig. 5 Yield and water use efficiency

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

Deep tillage

(T1)

Coir pith

application

(T2)

Random tie

Ridging (T3)

Broad bed

(T4)

Straw

mulching

(T5)

Vetiver

Strip

cropping

(T6)

Control (T7)

infiltration rate (cm/hr)

infiltration rate after treatment (cm/hr)

Avg. Infiltration rate before treatment (cm/hr)

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Fig. 4 Averagee infiltration rate of soil before and after treatment

Fig. 5 Yield and water use efficiency

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

Deep tillage

(T1)

Coir pith

application

(T2)

Random tie

Ridging (T3)

Broad bed

(T4)

Straw

mulching

(T5)

Vetiver

Strip

cropping

(T6)

Control (T7)

infiltration rate (cm/hr)

infiltration rate after treatment (cm/hr)

Avg. Infiltration rate before treatment (cm/hr)

Fig. 4 Average infiltration rate of soil before and after treatment

Fig. 5 Yield and water use efficiency

mm), while the control recorded a WUE of 4.16 kg/ha

mm (water productivity of Rs. 83.21/ha/mm) (Fig. 5).

CONCLUSION

In the current agricultural scenario, optimizing

water productivity within land use is crucial to feed the

growing population. An important aspect of improving

water productivity is soil moisture conservation.

In dryland and rainfed agriculture, conserving soil

moisture is essential to prevent moisture deficiencies

in the soil. In arid and semi-arid regions, even when

rainfall is sufficient for crop growth, dry spells and

uneven rainfall distribution during critical growth

stages can reduce yields by 50-60%. To mitigate yield

loss and maintain optimal crop production, effective

soil moisture conservation techniques such as coir pith

application, random tied ridging, broad bed furrows,

chisel ploughing, and mulching should be adopted.

These techniques not only conserve moisture but

also enhance soil properties, reduce soil erosion, and

prevent degradation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors express my deep respect and

gratitude to The Dean, AEC & RI, Kumulur,

and

record

his

gratefulness

The

Vice

Chancellor, Registrar and Director of Research,

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil

Nadu, for the facilities and support provided.

Conflict of Interest

The authors disclose no conflict of interest.

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