Energy, Land, WUE and Bio-Synthates Production in Rice Based Cropping System under Partially Reclaimed Sodic Soils of North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu
-
Author:V. Balasubramanian, M. Jayakumar and T.S. Manickam
p-ISSN:0024-9602, e-ISSN:2582-5321, Vol:99, Issue:oct-dec
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.100172
Abstract
Soil reclamation and cropping system evaluation experiments were conducted during
September 2009 to September 2010 in the sodic soils of Mallasamudram series in
Magudanchavadi block of Salem district, Tamil Nadu in two locations representing strongly
sodic (pH <9.5) and very strongly sodic (pH >9.5) soils. Soil amendments such as gypsum,
ferrogypsum, sugar factory pressmud and distillery spent wash were employed to reclaim
the sodic soils. Three different cropping systems were tested in the above reclaimed sodic
soils and evaluated. Among the treatments, distillery spent wash (DSW) @ 5 lakh litres ha -1
(T 3 ) required higher input energy in both the locations. Higher energy output in terms of
economic and biological return was recorded under DSW treated plots in all the cropping
systems tried at both the locations. Among the treatments T 3 recorded higher water use
efficiency and higher land use efficiency under rice – finger millet – sesbania (S 3 ) cropping
systems in both the locations. Among the cropping systems tried, S 3 sequence with T 3
treatment recorded higher production efficiency under both in Rs. ha -1 day -1 and kg ha -1 day -1
parameters at both the locations.
Key words : Sodicity, amendments, energy, bio synthates production, WUE and DSW.