Browsing by Author "Bal Krishna Jha"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Comprehensive environmental impact assessment for designing carbon-cum-energy efficient, cleaner and eco-friendly production system for rice-fallow agro-ecosystems of South Asia
(Elsevier Ltd, 2022) Rakesh Kumar; Janki Sharan Mishra; Santosh Sambhaji Mali; Surajit Mondal; Ram Swaroop Meena; Rattan Lal; Bal Krishna Jha; Sushanta Kumar Naik; Ashis Kumar Biswas; Hansraj Hans; Prem Kumar Sundaram; Arbind Kumar Choudhary; Mohammad Monobrullah; Sanjeev Kumar; Santosh Kumar; Rohan Kumar Raman; Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt; Ujjwal Kumar
High energy consumption and carbon emission are the major components of environmental pollution. Reducing carbon-footprints and improving energy use efficiency in rice (Oryza sativa L.) - fallow production systems of South Asia is a great challenge. The present experiment was conducted for five consecutive years (2016–2020) with an aim to design the most carbon-cum-energy efficient, cleaner/safer and eco-friendly production systems for rice-fallows in eastern India. This split-plot experiment had crop establishment-cum-residue management (CERM) treatments in main-plots and post-rainy/winter season crops in sub-plots. The production systems selected for analysis included three crop establishment methods [(1) zero-till-direct-seeded rice (ZTDSR), (2) conventional-till direct-seeded rice (CTDSR), and (3) transplanted puddled rice (TPR)], and two residue management practices [(i) with residue, and (ii) without residue] in combination with five potential winter season crops i.e., chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris L.), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.), and mustard (Brassica juncea L.). Results revealed an increase in overall system productivity from 3.5 to 5.13 Mg ha−1 due to the diversification of rice-fallow systems with oilseed and pulse crops. Irrespective of residue management practices, ZTDSR increased the yield by 15 and 31% in chickpea, 15 and 34% in lentil, 33 and 50% in safflower, 9 and 19% in linseed, and 7 and 15% in mustard as compared to CTDSR and PTR, respectively. Moreover, adoption of ZTDSR reduced energy uses by 23.3%, while increased energy ratio and net returns by 14.3 and 10.9%, respectively, over TPR. Pulse based crop rotations (rice-lentil and rice-chickpea) under ZTDSR with surface crop residue yielded 21.5% higher system net returns as compared to rice-oilseed production systems. ZTDSR treatment also reduced carbon-footprint (C-footprint) by 2.8% compared to TPR-based production systems. Similarly, rice-oilseed systems had a 16.1% lower C-footprint in comparison to rice-pulse sequences. Hence, rice-chickpea, rice-lentil and rice-safflower production systems in combined with ZTDSR along with residue retention can be viable production systems with higher system productivity, better economic returns, higher energy ratio and lower C-footprint. These systems will ensure an efficient utilization of natural resources leading to long-term sustainability of the rice-fallow production systems of South Asia. © 2021
Conservation agriculture: Perspectives on soil and environmental management in indo-gangetic plains of South Asia
(Springer Singapore, 2019) Rakesh Kumar; Kirti Saurabh; Narendra Kumawat; J.S. Mishra; Hansraj Hans; Bal Krishna; Ram Swaroop Meena; Bal Krishna Jha; Pravin Kumar Upadhyay; K.K. Hazra
Bread and rice basket of South Asia is feeding ~20% of the global population. The agricultural production system in South Asia is predominated by exhaustive cereal production system including rice, wheat, and maize. Thus, it greatly affects the livelihood and nutritional security of the rural and urban poor. Recently, cereal productivity had slowed down or stagnated. Present expansion rate in terms of yield of rice and wheat is ~2-3 times higher than in 1966-1994. During 1980s, the peak of "Green Revolution" in the agricultural production system helps in the reduction of rural and urban poverty by making food more affordable. During the 1990s, growth in yields slows down because of technological stagnation resulting in high food prices. Slow growth in yields mainly inflated on wheat and rice by ~1%. Therefore, agriculture in South Asia is presently in front of a major challenge of resource fatigue and declining crop productivity. In addition to that, a huge gap exists in yields mainly due to yield gap management, ranging from 14-47, 18-70, and 36-77% in wheat, rice, and maize, respectively. Crop residues are considered a vital natural resource for protecting and sustaining soil and crop productivity. Application of crop residues is useful for maintaining or enhancing soil organic matter (SOM). This chapter presents the perspectives on soil and environment through principles of conservation agriculture (CA) for sustainable cereal production system in Indo-Gangetic belts of South Asia. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019.
Earthworm Population and Diversity Enhanced Under Conservation Management Practices in Intensified Rice-Fallow System of South Asia
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2025) Rakesh Pradeep Kumar; Jaipal Singh Choudhary; S. K. Mondal; Janki Sharan Mishra; Govind Makarana; Sushanta Kumar Naik; S. S. Mali; Bal Krishna Jha; Ram Swaroop Meena; Ashish Kumar Biswas; Kumari Shubha; Ved Prakash; Anup Das; Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt; Suresh Kumar Chaudhari
The study was conducted in eastern India's rainfed lowland rice-fallow ecosystems. It aimed to assess the impact of different crop establishment methods on system productivity, earthworm activity and diversity, and soil quality parameters for long-term sustainability. Three distinct crop establishment methods viz. zero-till direct-seeded rice (ZTDSR), conventional-till direct-seeded rice (CTDSR), and transplanted puddle rice (TPR), were employed in conjunction with various crop residue management strategies. The TPR and conventional tillage methods consistently outperformed ZTDSR in terms of grain yield and recorded a 28.9% and 15.4% higher grain yield than ZTDSR and CTDSR, respectively. However, TPR had a detrimental impact on the performance of all winter crops, resulting in a lower grain yield by 29% and 44% than CTDSR and ZTDSR, respectively. The incorporation of a legume or oilseed during the fallow period in the winter season in a rice-fallow system resulted in an increase in system productivity from 5.44 to 9.54 Mg ha−1 (75% increase) demonstrating its potential to boost the food security of the region. Importantly, the study also quantified the critical role of conservation agriculture (CA) practices in enhancing soil health and earthworm activity. The CA-based production systems (CTDSR and ZTDSR) noted a 35.6%, 27.3%, 91.9%, and 73.4% higher earthworm casting, burrows count, total earthworm count, and biomass, respectively, over the TPR system. The TPR production system was associated with increased parameters of soil cracking, including length, width, depth, and volume compared to CA-based management systems. In conclusion, adopting CA-based practices and integrating short-duration pulses and legumes can enhance crop productivity, soil health, and earthworm populations, supporting food and nutritional security in India's rice-fallow regions and similar South Asian agro-ecotypes. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Greening rice-fallow areas: integrating pulses and oilseeds for sustainable cropping in eastern India
(Frontiers Media SA, 2025) Rakesh Pradeep Kumar; Anup Das; S. K. Mondal; Pravin Kumar Upadhyay; Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt; Janki Sharan Mishra; Anil Kumar Singh; Jaipal Singh Choudhary; Sanjeev Kumar; Prem Kumar Sundaram; Ashish Kumar Biswas; Sanjay Singh Rathore; Rajiv Kumar Singh; Puspa Parameswari; Dhiraj Kumar Singh; Santosh Muthu Suresh Kumar; Akram Ahmad; Kirti Saurabh; Kumari Shubha; Ajay Vinod Kumar; Manibhushan; Pawan Jeet; Ved Prakash; Bal Krishna Jha; Sushant Kumar Naik; S. S. Mali; Surendra Kumar Ahirwal; Vinod Kumar Singh; Devendra Mandal; Manoj Kumar Roy; Arbind K. Choudhary; Sudhir Kumar S. Rajpoot; Suresh Kumar Chaudhari
Rice-fallow areas, widespread in rainfed rice-growing regions of South Asia, remain uncultivated during the post-rainy (winter) season due to multiple challenges, including inadequate irrigation infrastructure, cultivation of long-duration rice varieties, and soil moisture imbalances. South Asia has approximately 22.3 million hectares of rice-fallow land, with India contributing the largest share (88.3%). Eastern Indian states, which account for 82% of India’s rice-fallow area, presents significant opportunities for cropping intensification. However, several constraints—such as biotic (pest and disease), abiotic stresses (temperature extremes, drought, etc.), rapid soil moisture depletion, and disturbances from free-grazing livestock-hinder efforts to cultivate a second crop, perpetuating poverty among the small and marginal farmers. Introducing stress-tolerant rabi crops, particularly pulses (chickpea, lentil, lathyrus, field pea) and oilseeds (mustard, toria, safflower, linseed), offers a promising solution to enhance system productivity and improve the farmers’ livelihoods. Policymakers have recently increased the public investment in rice-fallows intensification, yet fragmented and ad-hoc initiatives often fail to deliver sustainable outcomes due to complex and multidimensional challenges involved. This study critically examines the key issues affecting rice-fallow lands and provides strategic recommendations to convert these underutilized areas into the productive cropping systems during winter and spring. Additionally, it reviews Central and State Government programs related to rice-fallow management, emphasizing the need for research to align with ongoing policy initiatives for maximum impact. The findings of this study offers a valuable insights for the policymakers, planners, and stakeholders, highlighting the potential of pulses and oilseeds to enhance the food security, reduce poverty, and promote sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural production systems in the region. © © 2025 Kumar, Das, Mondal, Upadhyay, Bhatt, Mishra, Singh, Choudhary, Kumar, Sundaram, Biswas, Rathore, Singh, Parameswari, Singh, Kumar, Ahmad, Saurabh, Shubha, Kumar, Manibhushan, Jeet, Prakash, Jha, Naik, Mali, Kumar, Ahirwal, Singh, Mandal, Roy, Choudhary, Rajpoot and Chaudhari.
Impact of crop establishment and residue management on soil properties and productivity in rice-fallow ecosystems in India
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2022) Rakesh Kumar; Janki Sharan Mishra; Sushanta Kumar Naik; Surajit Mondal; Ram Swaroop Meena; Saurabh Kumar; Abhishek Kumar Dubey; Govind Makarana; Bal Krishna Jha; Santosh Sambhaji Mali; Ashis Kumar Biswas; Arbind Kumar Choudhary; Hansraj Hans; Rachana Dubey; Santosh Kumar; Prem Kumar Sundaram; Rohan Kumar Raman; Mohammad Monobrullah; Sanjeev Kumar; Ujjwal Kumar; Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt
The degradation of agricultural land, both chemical and biological, is a big concern all over the world. Crop cultivation practices that are distinctive to each location have negative consequences for agricultural production. Therefore, there is an urgent need for better crop and soil management techniques. This experiment was conducted for 5 years (2016–2020) to identify the best crop establishment-cum-residue management (CERM) practices and suitable crops for succession after the rice harvest in rice-fallow ecosystems of India. Experimentation was conducted in the split-plot design and each treatment was replicated thrice, having CERM in main-plot and post-rainy season/winter crops in sub-plot. All the CERM treatments had two variants, with crop residue (R+) and without crop residue (R−). Rice yields were markedly higher (19.1%–32.2%) in transplanted puddled rice with residue (TPR-R+) over conventional-till direct seeded rice (CTDSR) and zero-till DSR (ZTDSR) treatments. However, TPR adversely impacted the performance of all the post-rainy pulses/oilseed crops. Post-rainy season crop yields under ZTDSR/CTDSR were 14.9%–45.8% higher leading to higher system productivity as compared to TPR. ZTDSR with residue retention showed higher soil aggregation. The practice of ZTDSR increased the soil dehydrogenase activity (46.2%), urease activity (29.8%), soil microbial biomass carbon (65.4), and fluorescein diacetate activity (9.0%) in the crop root zone with 3.3- and 4.47-times higher earthworm population and earthworm biomass, respectively. The rice-pulse system showed 1.74-times more earthworm population over rice-oilseed sequences. Total soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in ZTDSR was 21.8% higher over TPR in 0–45 cm soil profile. Thus, the adoption of ZTDSR practices and diversification of rice-fallows with pulses crops is recommended for enhancing the crop productivity, increasing SOC stock, and improving soil biological properties in the rice-fallow ecosystems of India. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.