Adoption level of integrated crop management practices among rice farmers: Does the adoption of production technology predict postharvest technology adoption

SAMARICA is the second district of Occidental Mindoro province in the Philippines having a vast land area for rice production. It supports the rice milling sector of the province with promising facilities for postharvest of rice. This study investigates the rice farmers’ adoption level of integrated crop management practices (ICMPs). The adoption ICMPs aims to promotes farm productivity and efficiency. A total of 404 rice farmers participated in this study selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Quantitative data were generated from the survey questionnaire and were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the relationship between production and postharvest practices. The results revealed that rice farmers have “very high” adoption of rice production technologies except for water technologies and intermittent irrigation with “high” adoption level. In terms of postharvest, there is “very high” adoption of mechanized harvesting and recommended moisture content for rice but “moderate” adoption for rice parboiler, dying machines, and threshing of rice right after harvest. On the other hand, a statistically significant evidence was found for production technologies as predictor of postharvest technologies, specific for the care and management of rice (β =0.55; P<0.01).

Integrated Crop Management Practices of Wheat through Frontline Demonstrationin Bundelkhand Region

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Datia, Madhya Pradesh conducted 365 demonstrations on wheatvarieties GW-366 and RVW-4106 during 2017-18 to 2020-21 at farmers’ field in Datiadistrict to find out the worth of the improved technology. The parameters like technologicalimpact, economical impact and extension gap were analyzed and the feasibility ofdemonstrated technologies at grass root levels was assessed. The results of four years ofstudies revealed that the yield under demonstration plots was 4684 kg/ha as compared to3875 kg/ha in traditional farmer practices plots. This additional yield of 809 kg/ha and theincrease in average wheat productivity by 21.43 per cent may contribute to the presentwheat requirement on national basis. The average technology gap, extension gap andtechnology index were found to be 376.50 kg/ha, 807.75 kg/ha and 7.40 per cent respectively.An additional investment of Rs. 1470 per ha coupled with scientific monitoring ofdemonstrations and non-monetary factors resulted in an additional net return of Rs. 13531per ha. Fluctuation in the sale price of wheat during different years influenced the economicreturns per unit area. On four years overall average basis incremental benefit cost ratiowas found as 3.41. The results indicate the positive effects of FLDs over the existingpractices.

Conservation Agriculture Based Integrated Crop Management Sustains the Maize–Wheat Rotation of North-Western India: Five Years’ Impacts on Crops and Water Productivity, Economic Profitability, Sustainable Yield Index and Soil Properties

We have evaluated eight different integrated crop management (ICM) modules for five years in a maize-wheat rotation (MWR); wherein, ICM1&2- ˈbusiness-as-usualˈ (conventional flatbed maize and wheat, ICM3&4- conventional raised bed (CTRB) maize and wheat without residues, ICM5&6- conservation agriculture (CA)-based zero till (ZT) flatbed maize and wheat with the residues, and ICM7&8- CA-based ZT raised bed maize and wheat with the residues. Results indicated that the ICM7&8 produced significantly (p<0.05) the highest maize grain yield (5 years av.) which was 7.8-21.3% greater than the ICM1-6. However, across years, the ICM5-8 gave statistically similar wheat grain yield, and was 8.4-11.5% greater than the ICM1-4. Similarly, the CA-based residue retained ICM5-8 modules had given 9.5-14.3% (5 years av.) greater system yields in terms of maize grain equivalents (MGEY) over the residue removed CT-based ICM1&4. System water productivity (SWP) was the highest with ICM5-8, being 10.3-17.8% higher than the ICM1-4. Nevertheless, the highest water use (TWU) was recorded in the CT flatbed (ICM1&2), ~7% more than the raised bed and ZT planted crops with or without the residues (ICM4-8). Furthermore, the ICM1-4 had produced 9.54% greater variable production costs compared to the ICM5-8, whereas, the ICM5-8 gave 24.3-27.4% additional returns than the ICM1-4. Also, different ICM modules caused significant (p<0.05) impacts on the soil properties, such as, organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), dehydrogenase (SDH), alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and urease (URE) activities. In 0.0-0.15 m soil profile, residue retained CA-based (ICM5-8) modules registered a 7.1-14.3% greater SOC and 10.2-17.3% SMBC than the ICM1-4. The sustainable yield index (SYI) of MWR was 13.4-18.6% greater under the ICM7&8 compared to the ICM1-4. Hence, this study conclude that the adoption of the CA-based residue retained ICMs in the MWR could sustain the crop yields, enhance farm profits, save water and improve soil properties of the north-western plan zones of India.

The spatial degradation of Riceland and farmers perception of its causal factors and strategic adaptations

Deli Serdang District is among the highest rice producer districts in North Sumatera Province. Unfortunately, climate change and improper cultivation management practices degrade riceland fertility and affect stagnant rice productivity over the years. This study aims to identify the spatial pattern of the limited-factors for riceland suitability and determine land degradation factors and the strategic actions to increase rice production. This study was conducted in 2019 in six districts and interviewed sixty farmers for getting information about riceland degradation issue. The field survey, soil analysis and household-based survey are some methods implemented in this study. The two tools, ArcGIS and SPSS, were used to gain the purposes of the research. The results show that the low status of nutrient availability, root condition and nutrient retention are the main factors of riceland degradation. Besides, this study found that climate change, lack of organic fertilizer implementation, water scarcity and excessive chemical fertilization implementation were significant factors of land degradation based on farmers perception. In addition, some of the strategic actions were frequently implemented to minimize the degradation rate are implementing the minimum tillage, using certified seed, giving a fallow season for riceland and recycling plant residue as organic fertilizer. The study suggests implementing the proper cultivation management practices like Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) to achieve the sustainability of rice production.

The Significance of Microbial Transformation of Nitrogen Compounds in the Light of Integrated Crop Management

Nitrogen (N) is widely distributed in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. It is a basic component of every plant cell as well as microorganisms, as a component of proteins, nucleic acids and chlorophyll. It enters soil with organic and mineral fertilizers, plant and animal residues and biological nitrogen fixation. There are various forms of nitrogen in soil, and this element is usually transformed by microorganisms. The transformation of nitrogen compounds (ammonification, nitrification and immobilization) is significantly influenced by climatic conditions and the physicochemical properties of soil. Microbial mineralization of nitrogen organic matter results in the enrichment of soil with this element, which is necessary to generate a yield. The amount of nitrogen entering soil through the mineralization of crop residues ranges from 15 to 45 kg N/ha in cereal residues and from 80 to 144 kg N/ha in winter rape residues. Biological nitrogen fixation can increase the nitrogen content in soil by 30–50 kg/ha/year. In recent decades, the mismanagement of mineral fertilizers has drastically changed the natural balance of the nitrogen cycle. Every year huge amounts of nitrogen compounds enter the aquatic ecosystems and cause their eutrophication. That is why it is important to have adequate knowledge of sustainable fertilization so as to practice integrated crop management.

Farmers Perception And Sustainability Strategy On Agricultural Development Program In Rural

This article aimed to describe the agricultural development program, to measure the farmers' perception of the agricultural development program, and to describe the strategy of the agricultural development program. This research was conducted in the Indralaya district of Muara Penimbung village Ogan Ilir Regency Indonesia by used a survey method. Involving 30 farmers as the samples by simple random sampling. Data processing is performed by scores and described in a descriptive. The results showed that the agricultural development program implemented were sufficiently varied to improve the well-being of farmers. These programs were Field School of Integrated Crop Management (SLPTT) and Village Irrigation Network. The farmers have good perceptions of the implementation of the agricultural development program. The socialization, implementation, and evaluation stage of the program is implemented involving key informants and a Field Agricultural Extension (PPL). The strategy of the agricultural development program is to conduct the internal assessment, group farmers together, rotate groups on the program and create high-quality, location-specific products.Keywords: agricultural, development, implementation, perception, strategy.