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Impact of Land Configuration and Strip-Intercropping on Runoff, Soil Loss and Crop Yields under Rainfed Conditions in the Shivalik Foothills of North-West, India

Author

Listed:
  • Anil Khokhar

    (Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab 144521, India)

  • Abrar Yousuf

    (Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab 144521, India)

  • Manmohanjit Singh

    (Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab 144521, India)

  • Vivek Sharma

    (Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab 144521, India
    Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141004, India)

  • Parminder Singh Sandhu

    (Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab 144521, India)

  • Gajjala Ravindra Chary

    (Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Research Institute of Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, Telangana 500059, India)

Abstract

Maintaining sustainable crop production on undulating, sloppy, and erodible soils in Shivalik foothills of North-west India is a challenging task. Intercropping is accepted as a highly sustainable system to reduce soil erosion and ensure sustainable production by making efficient use of resources. Field experiments were conducted in the rainy season (July to September) during 2015, 2016, and 2017 to evaluate the effect of land slopes and maize and cowpea strip-intercropping on productivity and resource conservation at the Regional Research Station, Ballowal Saunkhri located in the Shivalik foothills. During three years of experimentation, a total of 23–26 runoff events were observed in the maize crop grown in the rainy season. The results from this 3-year field study indicate that maize grain yield was significantly higher on a 1% slope and cowpea on a 2% slope. This accounted for significantly higher net returns (US$ 428 ha −1 ) with a benefit-cost (BC) ratio of 2.0 on a 1% slope. Runoff, soil, and nutrient losses were higher on a 3% slope as compared to 1% and 2% slopes. N, P, and K loss on a 3% slope were 3.80, 1.82, and 4.10 kg ha −1 higher, respectively than a 1% slope. The adoption of a strip-intercropping system with a 4.8 m maize strip width and 1.2 m cowpea strip width resulted in significantly higher maize equivalent yield than sole maize and other strip-intercropping systems. This system showed the highest land equivalent ratio value (1.24) indicating a 24% yield advantage over sole cropping systems of maize and cowpea, and fetched the highest net returns (US$ 530 ha −1 ) with a benefit-cost ratio (BC ratio) of 2.09. This system also reduced runoff and soil loss by 10.9% and 8.3%, respectively than sole maize crop. On all the land slopes, maize and cowpea strip-intercropping systems showed a significant reduction in N, P, K, and organic carbon loss as compared to sole maize. Thus, on sloping land, the maize and cowpea strip-intercropping system decreases surface runoff, soil, and nutrient loss, and increases yield and income of the farmers as compared to a sole maize crop.

Suggested Citation

  • Anil Khokhar & Abrar Yousuf & Manmohanjit Singh & Vivek Sharma & Parminder Singh Sandhu & Gajjala Ravindra Chary, 2021. "Impact of Land Configuration and Strip-Intercropping on Runoff, Soil Loss and Crop Yields under Rainfed Conditions in the Shivalik Foothills of North-West, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6282-:d:567436
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David Pimentel & Michael Burgess, 2013. "Soil Erosion Threatens Food Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-21, August.
    2. Zhanyu Zhang & Liting Sheng & Jie Yang & Xiao-An Chen & Lili Kong & Bakhtawar Wagan, 2015. "Effects of Land Use and Slope Gradient on Soil Erosion in a Red Soil Hilly Watershed of Southern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-17, October.
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    1. Ma. del Carmen Ponce-Rodríguez & Francisco Oscar Carrete-Carreón & Gerardo Alonso Núñez-Fernández & José de Jesús Muñoz-Ramos & María-Elena Pérez-López, 2021. "Keyline in Bean Crop ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for Soil and Water Conservation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-13, September.
    2. Chenhui Li & Wenhai Shi & Mingbin Huang, 2023. "Effects of Crop Rotation and Topography on Soil Erosion and Nutrient Loss under Natural Rainfall Conditions on the Chinese Loess Plateau," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, January.

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