Assessment of Soil Fertility Status of Kanwara Minor Lift Canal Command Area in Banda District of Bundelkhand using Nutrient Index Values

A study was conducted to assess the fertility status of Kanwara minor lift canal command area using Nutrient Index values of different soil parameters under study in 2019-20. A systematic set of two hundred and eleven georeferenced soil samples were collected and analysed following the standard sampling and analytical procedure. The analysed values of different parameters were categorized in low, medium and high and further used in determination of the nutrient index. NI value of soil organic carbon was 1.16, 1.00 for available N, 1.47 for available P and 2.55 for available K respectively. Regarding the fertility class based on Nutrient Index values it was deficient in organic carbon, available N and available P while, sufficient in soil available K. This requires immediate attention towards the management of nutrients to restore the soil fertility and sustain crop productivity.

A re-look at canal irrigation system performance: a pilot study of the Sina irrigation system in Maharashtra, India

The general perception of canal irrigation systems in India is one of built infrastructure with low service performance. This paper presents an analytical framework, applied to the Sina medium irrigation system in Maharashtra state of India, to study the performance of an expanded water influence zone (WIZ) including a buffer zone outside the canal command area (CCA) influenced by the irrigation system's water resources. The framework used satellite-based estimates of land-use and cropping patterns. The results indicate that there is hardly any gap between the irrigation potential created (IPC) and the irrigation potential utilized (IPU) in the CCA. The fraction of consumptive water use (CWU) of irrigation is low in the CCA, but almost one in the WIZ, due to the reuse of return flows in the WIZ. Future investments should focus on increasing economic water productivity ($/m3) in order to enhance the resilience of the farming community in the WIZ, which is frequently affected by water scarcity.

Assessment of Water Quality Parameters of Lentic and Lotic Waterbodies in Narmada Canal Command Area in Saurashtra Region, Gujarat

<p>The objective of the present study was to assess the water quality of canal (man-made lotic waterbody) and ponds (man-made lentic waterbodies) present in Narmada Canal Command Area (NCCA) spread over four districts of Saurashtra region of Gujarat State,<em> viz.</em> Bhavnagar, Botad, Morbi, Surendranagar districts. Values of important physico-chemical parameters of water quality were determined through <em>in situ</em> and <em>ex situ</em> methods. Average values of parameters like pH (8.51), temperature (27.91 °C), electrical conductivity (6.32 ms/cm), TDS (559.18 ppm) turbidity (147.95 NTU), salinity (3.17 ppt) and phosphates (3.41mg/l) were found to be higher for pond waters, whereas the average values of DO (6.09 mg/l), total hardness (308.00 mg/l) and nitrates (2.37 mg/l) were found to be higher for the canal waters in the NCCA in the four districts. The study revealed that water quality of canals in the four districts was suitable for flora and fauna. For some ponds (n = 6) in Bhavnagar, Surendranagar and Morbi districts, the majority of water quality parameters, viz. pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, TDS, turbidity, salinity and phosphates had high values which might be undesirable from the view point of existence of some aquatic organisms. But as the values of these parameters for canal waters were lower and suitable for aquatic organisms, it is very likely that in the long run, the values of these water quality parameters of such ponds will become suitable for aquatic biota under the influence of long-term mixing of pond waters with canal waters having lower values of these parameters.</p>

Prospects of biodrainage to mitigate problems of waterlogging and soil salinity in context of India - A review

Major parts of agricultural lands in arid and semi-arid regions of India are affected by soil salinity and waterlogging in canal command area and outside. Waterlogging is caused by a rising water table and poor drainage conditions. Stress due to waterlogging and salinity are serious to plants in all stages from seed germination to active growth and maturity. Unmanaged affected agricultural lands turn into low productive marshlands in the long run. Physical provision of surface or sub-surface drainage structures can rescue in such a situation. Yet, high skill and investment are required in the installation and maintenance of such structures. Alternatively, biodrainage method has been evolved as an effective method recently world over. In biodrainage, plants are raised over a larger area, which can transpire and remove an enormous amount of water from the soil. Plants having adequate adaptive traits and tolerance mechanisms are desirable to mitigate waterlogging and salinity. Biodrainage is suitable in rainfed and irrigated conditions. Planting of right plant species in optimum population and geometry decides the efficiency of biodrainage. Further, combining biodrainage with the conventional drainage can improve land and water productivity. Eucalyptus is the most suitable tree species for biodrainage as it has well performed in versatile environments. It possesses appreciable tolerance to salinity, sodicity and waterlogged conditions of the soil. Fast-growing with a straight trunk, deep rooting ability, low shading effect and high transpiration capacity are promising characteristics of this tree. Prominent woody species like Acacia nilotica, Dalbergia sissoo, Hardwickia binata can also be grown for high profit.

Multi-Objective Fuzzy Linear Programming for Land Allocation under Different Crops in Bhagwanpur Distributary

A study was undertaken in Bhagwanpur distributary of Vaishali Branch Canal in Gandak Canal Command Area, Bihar to optimally allocate land area under different crops (rice and maize in kharif, wheat, lentil, potato in rabi and green gram in summer) in such a manner that maximizes net return, maximizes crop production and minimizes labour requirement employing simplex linear programming method and Multi-Objective Fuzzy Linear Programming (MOFLP) method. Maximum net return, maximum agricultural production, and minimum labour required under defined constraints (including 10% affinity level of farmers to rice and wheat crops) as obtained employing Simplex method were ` 3.7 × 108, 5.06 × 107 Kg and 66,092 man-days, respectively, whereas Multi-Objective Fuzzy Linear Programming (MOFLP) method yielded compromised solution with net return, crop production and labour required as ` 2.4 × 108, 3.3 × 107Kg and 1,79,313 man-days, respectively. As the affinity level of farmers to rice and wheat crops increased from 10% to 40%, maximum net return and maximum production as obtained from simplex linear programming method and MOFLP followed a decreasing trend and minimum labour required followed an increasing trend. MOFLP may be considered as one of the best capable ways of providing a compromised solution, which can fulfill all the objectives at a time.