Evaluation and promotion of integrated crop and resource management technologies in rice-wheat systems in Pakistan
2009
Mujeeb ur Rehman, H. | Gill, M.A. | Awan, N.A. | Ladha, J.K.
Pakistan has 1.7 million ha under the rice-wheat (RW) system. This system is critical for food security and livelihood in the country. Current productivity is quite low due to poor crop establishment in rice, labor scarcity at planting. late planting of wheat, poor crop care, inadequate quantity and/or poor quality of water available for irrigation, and unbalanced application of fertilizers. New resource-conserving technologies (RCTs) such as improved tillage and crop establishment (TCE) practices, laser-assisted land leveling, improved seeders, better irrigation water management, and use of a leaf color chart (LCC) for need-based N management in rice are needed to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the RW system. Suitable RCTs were therefore introduced, promoted, and adopted in close collaboration with farmers and other stakeholders. Lining of 16 water channels (a total length of 4,362 m) improved irrigation efficiency at a systems and field level over a command area of 1,210 ha. The use of rural seed-bank-supplied good-quality seed alone increased wheat yield by 297 kg ha-1. Laser leveling, adopted over 2,080 ha, improved seed germination by 15_25% and reduced irrigation water use by 20_30% and labor for irrigation by 30%. Zero-till wheat planting saved 60 liters of diesel ha1 and produced an additional grain yield of 141 kg ha1, Bed planting of wheat increased yield by 566 kg ha-1 and reduced irrigation water use by 33%. A timely and correct dose of N fertilizer application with the help of an LCC increased rice yield by 1.77 t ha-1, in addition to a significant savings in fertilizer cost. With the integration and adoption of these technologies in pilot villages, farmers earned an estimated additional income of US$2.832 million during the project period of 2005-08.
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