Advanced Centre for Integrated Farming Systems Research, AICRP on IFS, AAU

1.     SALIENT
RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS 

a)    
Development
of organic farming packages in system based high value crops:

Organic package for different cropping
sequence were developed for Assam situation.

(i)      Rice-Potato-Lady’s finger system (under Rainfed situation):

Organic culture with 100% RDF (organic)
supplied through ¹/₃ FYM/compost + ¹/₃
vermicompost + ¹/₃ MOC + Pumello fruit (Bio-pesticide)
gives highest REY (122.90 q/ha) and highest net return (Rs. 37818/-) with a B:C
ratio of 2.02 in case of Rice – Potato – Lady’s finger+ Green gram cropping
sequence. However, B:C ratio was highest when 50% N as compost + mix culture of
Azotobacter   & Azospirillum
+RDF level of P as Rock Phosphate +PSB were supplied to the same cropping
system.

(ii)   
Rice- Toria- Black
gram system (under Rainfed situation):

For organic cultivation, application of full recommended doses of fertilizers
through organic sources (i.e. ¹/₃
FYM + ¹/₃ vermicompost + ¹/₃
mustard oil cake) and plant protection with biopesticides (Pumello fruit
applied to Winter rice) in case of Winter rice–Toria–Black gram +Lady’s finger sequence
gives 87.36 q/ha REY with normal price and 108.56 q/ha with 25% extra premium
price with the B:C ratio of 2.09. The lowest 57.07 q/ha REY with a B:C ratio of
1.26 was recorded when recommended nutrients were applied only through chemical
fertilizers.

b)     Sustainable resource management for
climate smart IFS / Development of region- 
specific Integrated Farming System models:

·      
An one hectare Integrated
Farming System (IFS) model with the integration of Crops (Field
+ Horticultural + Fodder crops) + Cattle (3 cross-bred milch cow along with a
Heifer) + Goatery (1
male Beetle, Indigenous breed: 1 male, 11 female and 6 kids), Poultry (5 batch with 25 nos. broiler chicken) Duckery (34 layer ducks of breed
Chara Chambeli) + Fishery/ water harvesting structure (920 m²
area) + Apiary (5 nos. of bee hives) along with vermicompost, liquid manure & biogas
production generated a gross return of Rs.
7,04,451.00, return over variable cost Rs. 3,85,539.00 and B:C ratio of
2.21  with employment opportunities
of 453 mandays/year under
rainfed condition of Assam.

·      
The model generated
marketable surplus of Rs. 476371.00 and family saving was Rs. 157459.00 after
deducting the cost involved. A total of Rs. 94327.00 was generated and recycled
within the model which was about 30% of the total cost incurred in the model.

·      
Among the components of
the IFS model, Dairy recorded highest
REY (14.67 t), Gross return (Rs. 230342.00) and Net return (Rs. 95934.00) with
32.70% and 24.88 % contribution to Gross and Net return of the model
respectively. However, in terms of B:C ratio Duckery was the best module with
the value of  6.45 owing to negligible
cost involvement.

·      
Net GHG emission from the
IFS model was found to be 7.3 kg CO₂ equivalent in the year 2021-22
(which was 274.6, 865.0, 1211.6 and 22.5 kg CO₂ equivalent during
2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively). Among all the components,
dairy unit emitted the highest GHG (2770 kg CO₂ equivalent) contributing
48% of the total emission followed by field crops (18%).

c)    
Permanent plot experiment on integrated
nutrient supply system in Winter rice –
Autumn rice sequence:

·        
Soil pH increased by 10.8– 12.6% with INM treatments,
whereas it decreased by 2.8 and 1.6% in case of control and conventional
farmers practice, respectively over initial after 35 cropping cycling of rice-rice
sequence.

·        
Due to INM treatments, SOC increased by 28.3 – 38.3%
over initial in this study. However, 25% decrease in SOC was recorded in
Control plot over initial.

·        
Labile forms of C were found to be the highest in case
of Azolla treated plots whereas the Non-labile C content was the highest
in case of crop stubbles treated plots.

·        
A positive NPK balance in soil with INM treatments
after 35 years of rice-rice cropping. Data also revealed a negative NPK balance
in case of reduced doses of RDF treatments as well as in control and farmers
practice treatment.

·        
Results revealed that the water soluble C and SMBC are
the most sensitive fraction and Non-labile and inorganic C fraction are the
less sensitive fraction to nutrient management practices.

·        
The maximum SOC stock and sequestration
was recorded in T₆ followed by T₈  and T₁₀ (i.e. FYM>Rice
Stubbles>Azolla); whereas the lowest and negative C
sequestration was found in T₁.

·        
The C sequestration potential ranged bet.
(-)0.13 under T₁ to 0.78 Mg ha^-1  yr^-1 under T₃.

·        
Application of 50% R-NPK
(fertilizers)+ 50%N (crop stubble) in winter rice
following 100%
R-NPK (fertilizers) in autumn rice (T₈) was found to be the best in terms of total grain yield (7.27 Mg ha^-1)
of the system and B:C ratio (2.3) followed by T₆ treatment.

·        
Application of 50% RDF (through chemical
fertilizers)+ 50%N (through rice stubble @ 3.0 ton/ha) in winter rice following
100% RDF (through chemical fertilizers) in autumn rice resulted in 170.0, 103.6 and 12.5%
increase in yields of the system over the Control (no fertilizers, no manures),
Farmers’ practice and RDF, respectively

d)    
Identification of cropping systems module
for different farming systems:

·      
Cropping systems involving vegetables and other high
value crops for income enhancement were found to be better in terms
of REY, Net Return and B:C Ratio. The Ridge
gourd–Broccoli–Lady’s finger system gave
highest REY (437 q/ha), Net Return (Rs. 5,26,900.00) and B:C ratio (4.33)
followed by Bitter gourd–Tomato–French bean system (356 q/ha REY, Rs.
4,08,071 Net Return & 3.70 B:C ratio) among all the systems.

·       Among
the cropping systems tested, Teosinte-Oat-Cowpea (fodder) system was
found to left highest available  NPK
nutrients in the post harvest soils, whereas lowest was recorded in case of Winter
Rice- Autumn rice sequence which is the most predominant cropping system of
Assam.

e)    
Raised and Sunken bed Module:

A raised and sunken bed module with
around 0.12 ha wetland area produced a net return of Rs.5,534.00 along with a
B:C ratio of 2.15 and an employment generation of 17 mandays/ year, which may
be recommend for the rainfed, wet land situation of Assam.

f)     
Nutriennt management in rice-rice system
in flood affected areas:

Under rainfed condition in the
flood affected area of Assam, application of ZnSO₄.7H₂O @
25 kg/ha along with the recommended dose of NPK fertilizers in case of
pre-flood rice (cv. Joymoti) followed by post-flood rice (cv. Luit) cropping
sequence gives 81.56 q/ha system equivalent yield of Rice with the net return
of Rs. 41,146.9 and the B:C ratio of 1.78.

g)    
Organic weed management practices for
Rice– Toria –Rice sequence:

Stale seedbed + reduced spacing (up to
25%) + mulching with previous crop residues + one hand weeding under Rice–Toria–Rice
sequence resulted in 17.89% productivity enhancement over existing practice of one mechanical weeding and one hand weeding in rice and one hand weeding
in toria.