New Innovative Production Technology of Water Chestnut on Degraded Soil under Cropping System of Rabi and Summer Crops (SRA Model-6)

Abstract

The study was undertaken in submerged water affected area from 2005-06 to 2019-20 in eight villages of Kanpur Nagar. The 30 farmers participated as partnership in this study. The main objective was to increase the farmers net income more than two fold. The secondary objective was to grow wheat under late sown condition in winter season and okra, sponge goard, bottle goard and pumpkin cultivation during spring/summer season under natural farming. The third objective was to utilize the submerged soil in double cropping system. Five cropping systems i.e., water chestnut – late sown wheat, water chestnut – okra (spring season), water chestnut – sponge goard (spring season), water chestnut – bottle goard (summer season) and water chestnut-pumpkin were tested. The Kanpuri cultivar of water chestnut was used in the study. The cultivars Pusa-Supriya sponge goard, Azad Harit of bottle goard, Pusa Vikas of pumpkin and Azad Bindi-1 of okra were sown in spring to summer season. The 120.00 q/ha nuts of water chestnut was harvested, while wheat and fruits of okra harvested by 40 q/ha and 105 q/ha, respectively. The vegetable crops of sponge goard, bottle goard and pumpkin gave yield by 110.00 q/ha, 205.00 q/ha and 200 q/ha, respectively, during spring/summer seasons. The system productivity was computed by 132.30 q/ha under water chestnut – late sown wheat cropping system. The system productivity was computed by 225.00 q/ha in term of okra equivalent yield. The highest system productivity noted in term of equivalent yield of sponge goard, bottle goard and pumpkin by 230.00 q/ha, 325.00 q/ha and 320.00 q/ha, respectively. The net return and BCR were obtained by Rs. 10500.00/ha and 1:2.40, respectively, from water chestnut. Similarly late sown wheat gave net return and BCR by Rs. 38500.00/ha and 1:1.97, respectively. Vegetable crops okra, sponge goard, bottle goard and pumpkin gave net return Rs. 114568/ha, Rs. 132800/ha, Rs. 274800/ha and Rs. 267800/ha, respectively. The BCR calculated by 1:3.70 from okra, 1:5.12 from sponge goard, 1:9.40 from bottle goard and 1:9.31 from pumpkin cultivation. Therefore, inclusion of wheat and vegetables in the cropping system with water chestnut increased the farm families net income from 1.37 to 3.61 folds