Better crop management options for dryland farmers on vertisols and alfisols in the semi-arid tropical peninsular India

1. Better crop management options
through research & simulation studies
to enhance productivity and reduce
risk for dryland farmers.
V. NAGESWARA RAO
Conjoint PhD candidate
WUR(Crop Systems Analysis)-
UTAS (Extensive Agriculture) initiated in 2011

2. Objectives
• Better crop management options to sustain the improved
productivity by intensifying rainfed cropping systems on
Vertisols,
• Reduce the risk of crop failures on lighter Alfisols by
assessing appropriate cropping options
• Suitable for variable ENSO phase dependent seasonal
rainfall.
Our study would address the crop production risks of
rainfed small holder farmers and attract the attention of
policy makers in the region

3. Thesis outline
• CHAPTER I. Review on status of rainfed cropping systems
productivity in Semi-Arid Tropical (SAT) India
• CHAPTER II. Analysis of Dryland cropping systems for crop
intensification and risk minimization options on Vertisols in
assured rainfall regions.
• CHAPTER III. Analysis of modelled peanut cropping systems
for intensification and risk minimization options on Alfisols in
the scarce rainfall zone of South India.

4. Thesis outline
• CHAPTER IV. Cropping choices for synergistic rotations to
sustain improved productivity
• CHAPTER V. Consequences of ENSO based seasonal
rainfall patterns for rainfed crop productivity in the
Semi-Arid Peninsular India.
• CHAPTER IV. General Discussion on suitable options for
Vertisols and Alfisols of the semi-Arid India.

5. Review on status of rainfed
cropping systems productivity
• Rainfed agriculture remains vital for food and fodder security
in the semi-arid tropical (SAT) regions of India
• India’s economy is dependent on income of millions of small
holder farmers
• The problems associated with larger areas of rainfed
agriculture are:
• lower crop yields on Vertisols and Alfisols
• risk-averse low input management strategies of small
holder farmers
• low adoption rates of improved technologies
• accentuated by highly variable seasonal conditions
affecting the national economy

7. Analysis of Dryland cropping systems
for intensification & risk minimization
options on Vertisols
• Traditional fallowing in rainy season and cropping during post-
rainy season on stored soil moisture
• Poor resource utilization
• Low input management of rainfed cropping systems
Results of Analysis for publications
Conference paper: Nageswara Rao, V., Rego, T. J., Meinke, H., Parsons, D., Craufurd, P.
Q., Wani, S. P., Kropff, M. J. (2011) Long-term evaluation of dryland cropping systems intensification for
sustainable production in the semi-arid tropics of India. In: Resilient Food Systems for a Changing World:
Proceedings of the 5th World Congress of Conservation Agriculture incorporating 3rd Farming Systems
Design Conference, 26-29 September 2011, Brisbane, Australia.
Journal paper: Nageswara Rao, V., Meinke, H., Parsons, D., Craufurd, P. Q., Wani, S. P., Kropff, M.
J., Rego, T. J. (draft). Double cropping as viable option sustains the increased productivity of dryland
cropping systems on Vertisols in the SAT India. Targeted to European journal of Agronomy.

8. Alfisols and cropping system

9. Analyses of modelled peanut
cropping systems for risk
minimization options on Alfisols
• On Alfisols, Peanut monocropping for decades affected the system
productivity due to diseases;
• uncertain and variable climate resulted in low productivity, crop failures
and fodder insecurity
Results of Analysis for publications
Two Conference papers: 1. Nageswara V Rao , Piara Singh, D Balaguravaiah, J. P. Dimes and
Peter S. Carberry (2004). Systems modeling and farmers’ participatory evaluation of cropping options to
diversify peanut systems in Anantapur region, India. I: APSIM simulations to analyze constraints and
opportunities.
2. V.Nageswara Rao, Piara Singh, Y. Padmalatha, TJ Rego, P Carberry (2004). Systems modeling and farmers’
participatory evaluation of cropping options to diversify peanut systems in Anantapur region, India II:
Farmers’ participatory field assessment of simulated peanut systems . Fischer, T. et al (2004). New
directions for a diverse planet: Proceedings for the 4th International Crop Science Congress, Brisbane,
Australia, 26 September – 1 October 2004.
Two Journal papers: 1. Agricultural Systems
2. Agronomy for Sustainable development

10. Cropping choices for synergistic
rotations to sustain improved
productivity
• A review paper will be prepared on research results
published on the synergistic and antagonistic crops in
rotations in the semi-arid tropics
• Journal paper:V. Nageswara Rao, R. Kalpana Sastry, P.
Craufurd, H. Meinke, David Parsons, T. J. Rego and A. Rathore
(2014). Cropping systems strategies for effective
management of Fusarium wilt in safflower. Field Crops
Research, 156 (2014) 191-198”

11. Consequences of ENSO based
seasonal rainfall patterns for rainfed
crop productivity
Book chapter published:
V. Nageswara Rao, P. Singh, J. Hansen, T. Giridhara Krishna, S. K. Krishna
Murthy (2007). Use of ENSO-based seasonal rainfall forecasting for informed
cropping decisions by farmers in the SAT India. In Climate Prediction and
Agriculture: Advances and Challenges (Eds. M. V. K. Siva Kumar and James
Hansen). ISBN:103-540-44649-4,Pages 165-179. Springer Berlin Heidelberg
New York; WMO, Geneva.
Optional paper:
Nageswara Rao, V., Peter Craufurd, Holger Meinke, David Parsons, and
Rego, T. J. (2013). Cropping systems productivity affected by ENSO related
monsoon rainfall variability in Peninsular India. Pages 115-116.
Seasonal rainfall variability based risk management options for farmers in
low rainfall regions for better crop management decision making

12. Discussion: Suitable dryland cropping
options for Vertisols & Alfisols
• Suitable double cropping and nutrient management on
Vertisols
• Suitable intercrops to minimise crop failure risks on Alfisols
• Synergistic crops in cropping systems for reduction of
diseases and enhanced nutrient availability
• Suitable for ENSO based seasonal rainfall variability in the
region
GOAL: Knowledge based production systems, agriculture as a
dependable enterprises for small holder farmers in dryland
regions.