NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RABI – 2005 “ DAC – ICAR INTERFACE : ISSUES & STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING PRODUCTION OF RABI

1. NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RABI – 2005 “ DAC – ICAR INTERFACE : ISSUES & STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING PRODUCTION OF RABI CROPS” AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & COOPERATION MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

2. CROP SPECIFIC ISSUES AND STRATEGY WHEAT AND BARLEY : Productivity Enhancement Impact of rising temperature & imbalanced use of Fertilizer • Timely sowings in rice - wheat system • Adopt Resource Conservation Technologies - Zero till seed drill, Raised Bed Planting - raised seed bed planter • Adopt INM and supplement with micronutrients • Promote improved durum wheat varieties (export) • Promote high malt barely varieties

3. Promote high temperature - tolerant wheat varieties

4. Promote high Malt Content Barley Varieties • BC 473 – Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, U.P., Bihar & Jharkhand • RD 2503 – Haryana, Rajasthan & Western U.P. • K 551 – Eastern U.P., Bihar & Jharkhand • DL 88 – Maharashtra & Karnataka • DWR 28 – Haryana, Rajasthan & Western U.P. • Location specific other varieties for Hill and Plain areas

5. RABI JOWAR AND MAIZE Jowar : • Early / timely planting to maximise the advantage of residual soil moisture and avoid shootfly damage. • Maintain optimum plant stand- 1,35,000 plants /ha under rainfed and 1,50,000 plant / ha under irrigated condition. • Promote CSH15R, 19R hybrids for deep soils, irrigated areas and other improved hybrids. Maize : • Promote full season hybrids for Rabi. • Popularize single cross hybrids for higher returns. • Encourage intercropping of mustard, chickpea, potato, green pea in maize to maximise the returns.

6. GRAM • Timely planting to take advantage of residual soil moisture under rainfed conditions. • Accelerating adoption of area specific disease resistant/tolerant varieties specially for wilt. • Apply 20 – 25 kg / ha sulphur and micro-nutrients as per indications of deficiency in soils. • Providing one life saving irrigation at flowering/podding stage : yield advantage 20 to 30% • Adopt IPM against Helicoverpa, wilt and blight. • Promote short duration (75 to 80 days) varieties in Southern States.

7. RAPESEED / MUSTARD • Timely planting to avoid menace of abhids • Encouraging the use of sulphur: 20 to 25% yield advantage • Promote intercropping of mustard with gram, Lentil, Pea, linseed etc. • Promote short duration mustard variety JD-6 and Pusa Agrani in rice fallows of Eastern States

8. SUNFLOWER / LINSEED / SAFFLOWER • Promote sunflower hybrids in spring season in northern States : Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa • Popularize double purpose (seed + fibre) improved varieties of linseed in rice fallows • Promote thornless varieties of safflower

9. BORO RICE • Adopt the Shallow Tubewell Model of Assam for water availability • Precise varietal choice coupled with INM area-wise to enhance productivity • Timely transplanting to maximize yield.

10. Improved rice varieties / hybrids for Boro cultivation

11. AREA EXPANSION OF RABI PULSES : OPPORTUNITIES • Intercropping of chickpea and lentil with other crops in Central India • Introduce lentil and chick pea in rice fallows in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, WB, Orissa, East M.P., parts of A.P., Karnataka in residual / moisture • Urdbean / Mungbean in rice fallows in coastal areas of AP, TN, Karnataka and Kerala “Adopt On farm seed priming and Rapid Minimum Tillage by zero till seed drill”

12. GENERAL TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE • Use of ridges, furrows, or broadbeds for raising crops – promote implements. • Avoid loss to seedlings due to mortality; Adopt seed treatment. • Add lime in acidic soils of Eastern & NE States to harness the full potential. • Promote IPM for management of insect pests and diseases • Enhance the efficiency of available water through appropriate techniques like sprinkler and drip; appropriate planting methods; and scheduling of irrigation.

13. SEED PRODUCTION • Accelerate seed production of new varieties and hybrids as per proposed new systems. • District level recommendation of varieties of different crops and indents accordingly. • Special seed production plan for varieties with specific characteristics i.e malt quality Barley, High protein maize and improved oil quality mustard etc. to meet specific demand industry • Assessment of requirement of seed may be linked with targeted crop diversification.

14. Other Issues • Research on hybrids of oilseeds and pulses needs to be accelerated to meet the location specific demands of the farmers • Newer technology of production such as polythene mulching in groundnut may be popularized on priority • Promotion of fodder cultivation in wastelands especially in the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat - Short term and long term measures may be initiated to utilize the wastelands • Appropriate policy for long term leasing of water bodies for promotion of inland aquaculture • Information on location specific suitability of verities / hybrids for different States may be made available on internet.

15. Nutrient (NPK) Usage (2002) : Distortion leading to stagnation In 2003-04 : 36 m tons Product/Fertilizer = 18.6 m tons Nutrient (NPK)

16. TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY GAP : EXPLOIT THE EXISTING POTENTIAL (Yield in tonnes/ha)

17. THANK YOU