Vol. 8, Issue 12 (2019)

Author(s):
JC Paul, Dipsika Paramjita, B Panigrahi and JN Mishra

Abstract:
An experiment was conducted in the farmer’s field to assess the effect of on-farm rainwater management on productivity of rice-wheat cropping system in the rainfed medium land in clay loam soil at Puintala block of Bolangir district, western central tableland zone of Odisha. Weir height of 10, 15, 20 and 25 cm were constructed in the rice fields and the excess rain water through these weirs was collected in the refuges (20% area) for recycling for supplemental irrigation. The results revealed that, weir height of 15 cm gave the highest kharif rice (Oryza sativa L) average grain yield of 3.31 t/ha (average of three varieties i.e. Lalat, MTU 1001 and Swarna) over other weir heights. Among 3 varieties of rice tested, Swarna produced the highest grain yield (3.47 t/ha) with weir height of 15 cm. The average depth of water retained in the refuges at 15 cm weir height in the months of October, November, December, January and February were 1.42, 1.15, 1.04, 0.79 and 0.34 m, respectively. Three varieties of wheat i.e. Sonalika, UP 262 and HUW 234 were grown in the same fields but in 50% of rice area in rabi season and 3 irrigations were given to the crop from the stored water in the refuges. The average yields of different varieties of wheat were found to range from 1.61 t/ha to 1.81 t/ha. It was observed that the stored water in the refuge with collection of excess runoff from 15 cm weir height plots gave the highest wheat yield for variety UP 262. Based on the study, it is recommended to grow rice (cv. Swarna) and wheat variety UP 262 at 15 cm weir height with a refuge area of 20% for sustaining the yield of rice-wheat cropping system. From the techno-economic study, the benefit-cost ratio of the cropping system for 15 cm weir height plots along with the refuge is found to be 1.11, the net present value is Rs.1481.00, internal rate of return is 14% and payback period is 15 years. Therefore, techno-economically, this system will be acceptable by the farmers of the area.