Key Site:
Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Institute, Hazaribag, India
IRRI team: E Javier (WG Co-Leader), G Atlin, S Haefele, D Johnson
CRURRS team: PK Sinha (WG Leader), M Variar (Key Site Coordinator), NP Mandal, VD Shukla, D Maiti, IFAD-IGP collaborators (social scientists): Sr. Sajita, V Lakra
|
|
Modify crop establishment and weed management experiments based on farmers’ feedback from past trials. Establishment methods will be reduced from five to four, and the modifications will investigate fewer plow passes to save labor.
Conduct nutrient management experiments by building upon the 2005 results that found fertilizer applications were cost-effective in improving yields during drought. A slightly higher dose of N applied after tiwai will be evaluated against farmers’ usual practice. The use of the traditional variety, Brown Gora, has been dropped due to lodging problems, and potassium will also be eliminated from the fertilizer regime.
Based on dry-weather experience in 2005, conduct sequence cropping after rice only if harvest is completed by the end of September and enough moisture is available. Pigeon pea will be grown intercropped with rice with a low-dose lime soil treatment (lime placement will be banded for pigeon pea rows only) found to be effective in on-station trials. A linseed/niger/toria rotation will be attempted as a preventative against wilt in pigeon pea plots the following year.
In PVS, involve new varieties based on farmers’ preference for RR345-2 and Anjali. Newer varieties will be tested in mother trials in unbunded and bunded uplands. Drought-tolerant Vandana will be tested again to investigate its blast susceptibility and attendant losses. In mother trials, extensive qualitative follow-up data will be collected through focussed-group discussions.
Evaluate promising post-emergence herbicides tested by Working Group 1 (drought-prone lowlands) on-station for their suitability in unbunded uplands. Products to be tested will be Almix, Whipsuper (each alone and in combination with each other), and possibly Butachlor, in comparison to two different handweeding practices.
Scale out a package of crop establishment, new varietal and nutrient management practices to 10 farms each in Amin, Kuchu and a third village to be identified.
Develop extension materials for crop establishment, nutrient management, improved varieties for bunded and unbunded uplands, and direct seeding as an alternative to transplanting in bunded uplands.
|
