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Research & Extension

       Chittoor District is included in Southern Zone of Agro-Climatic-Zones of Andhra Pradesh. The Regional Agricultural Research Station is situated at Tirupati of Chittoor District. One District Agricultural Advisory Centre and one Agricultural Research Station at Perumallapalle and one Live Stock Research Station at Palamaner are functioning under Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University apart from RARS at Tirupati

CROP STRATEGIES

Associate Director of Research, Regional Agricultural Research Station

Tirupati – 5175 02

 

GROUNDNUT BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS

 

In Chittoor district grounut is being grown in an area of about 2.0 lakh ha as a pure crop during kharif season under rainfed conditions.  In adverse weather conditions during crop growth period groundnut crop completely failed with the result farmer is incurring complete loss of the crop.  This situation is prevailing for the past four to five years.  To over come this situation there is need to adopt or follow groundnut based inter cropping system in rainfed alfisols.  Keeping this in view several experiments were conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Tirupati with different groundnut based cropping systems.  Out of all the inter cropping systems tried groundnut + redgram, groundnut + castor in 7:1 ratio, groundnut + sorghum, groundnut + peralmillet 6:2 ratio were found to be more remunerative than sole crop of groundnut even under drought and excess rainfall years.  Based on the experimental results it is recommended to the farmers to grow groundnut + redgram or groundnut + castor inter cropping system.  Further fodder is also essential to meet the needs of cattle and mulch animals in Chittoor district.  Hence, groundnut + sorghum inter cropping system is also recommended to farmers.  Pure groundnut crop will not sustain under rainfed situation without inclusion of inter crops.

 

ALTERNATE CROPS TO GROUNDNUT

 

In Chittoor district groundnut crop is traditionally grown under rainfed conditions for the past 20-30 years without crop rotation.  With the result the pests and diseases build up has reached alarmingly and causing huge loss to the groundnut crop.  Further, erratic monsoons during crop growth period, groundnut yields were adversely affected.  Due to frequent failure of groundnut crop under rainfed conditions farmers are keeping the fields fallow.  Hence, there is need to identify remunerative alternate crops to groundnut.  Several experiments were conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Tirupati and some of the crops such as redgram, castor, sorghum and field bean were found to be drought tolerant and more remunerative.  It is advised to the farmers to go for crop diversification.

REGULAR MONSOON SITUATION

 

Groundnut + redgram (7:1), groundnut + castor (7:1), groundnut + sorghum (6:2) are most remunerative cropping system under rainfed conditions in alfisols of Chittoor district.  In crop diversification, redgram, castor, sorghum and field bean can be tried as pure crops.

 

DELAYD MONSOON SITUATION

 

            Contingent  crops such as redgram, castor, sorghum, greengram, blackgram and field bean are more profitable for sowing from 15^th August to 15^th September.

 

CONTINGENCIES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

 

DELAYED MONSOON

 

RICE:

 

In tankfed areas due to late receipt of rains, transplantation gets delayed  and the following management practices are suggested for the rice crop under such situations.

*            Nitrogen application in nurseries may be avoided when the seedlings are over aged as this will have adverse effect on yield

*            Tillering ability of aged seedlings is less.  Hence to maintain optimum tillers/unit area, 50 to 60 hills/m² may be maintained.  Number of seedlings may also be increased to 4-6 / hills

*            Phosphorus, potash and zinc should be applied as basal dose for good establishment and growth

*           Two-thirds nitrogen (40 to 60 kg/ha) may be applied as basal application 1/3^rd at panicle initiation

*           Weed control at 4 to 5 days after transplanting apply 2, 4-DEE G  @ 0.8 kg/a.i/ha and or Butachlor 5 G @ 1.0 kg a.i/ha (8 kg/ac) to control weeds

*           Leaf folder, green leaf hopper, stem borer, gall midge may infest the rice crop from last week of August.  Monocrotophos @ 300 ml/acre (1.5 ml/1) or Chlorpyriphos @ 400 ml/acre (2.0 ml/1) may be sprayed as soon as incidence beyond ETL is noticed

 

 

PULSES:

 

1.                  Light Soil (rainfed)            }            Greengram Varieties :            LGG –407, 450, 460,       

                                                           }                                                         ML – 267, PDM- 54

 

2.                  Heavy soils                    }            Redgram Varieties    :            LRG –30, ICPL-332

         }                                                LRG –41

 

                                                         }          Blckgram Varieties   : LBG-20, LBG -623

 

 GROUNDNUT:

 

1.          Rainfed light Soils          }            i.   Delayed groundnut sowing beyond second

                                                }               fortnight of July increases pest and disease

                                                }               problems, reduce yields with difficulty in

                                                }               harvesting due to soil hardening.

 

                                                }            ii.  Do not disturb the soil if drought sets in after

                                                }                45 DAS

 

                                                }            iii.  Instead of groundnut, Redgram, Castor,

                                                }                Sorgham can be grown under delayed situation

 

 

FAILURE OF SOUTH-WEST MONSOON:

 

            Rainfed light soil areas where sowings could not be taken up till the end of July due to failure of south west monsoon

 

            Cultivate crops like Redgram, Castor, Sorghum, Greengram, Blackgram, Fieldbean.

Crops and Varieties: 

             Redgram         :            LRG – 30, LRG – 41

             Castor              :            PCS – 124, GCH-4, Jyothi

             Sorghum         :            JKSH –1, CSH – 5, CSH –9

             Greengram      :            ML –267, LGG-460, LGG-407

             Blackgram        :            LBG-17, LBG-623

 

DOs & DONTS FOR MAJOR CROPS:

 

RICE:

*           Grow and use own seed

*           Select suitable variety having resistance to at least one major biotic/abiotic stress for the specific situation and treat the seed with carbendazim 1-2g/kg seed   

*           Protect the nursery with granules (carbofuran @ 16 kg/acre or phorate @ 5 kg/acre) or monocrotophos (6ml/litre) or phosphomedon (1m./mitre) at 10^th  and 17^th  day after sowing.

*           Ensure optimum plant population (33,44 and 66 hills/m² for long/mid/short duration varieties respectively)

*           Ensure weed control

*           Adopt balanced application of fertilizers (N:P:K) on the basis of soil test values

*           Grow green manure to maintain soil fertility and ensure conjunctive use of organic manures with inorganic fertilizer

*           Correct micronutrient deficiencies (mainly zinc at 50 kg zinc sulphate/ha in the last puddle or spray 0.2 per cent ZnSo₄ solution 2-3  times at 4-5 days interval in standing crop)

*           Adopt integrated pest management  practices

*           Ensure rodent control on community basis

*           Direct Seeding with dry or sprouted seed

 

GROUNDNUT:

*            Intercrop with redgram in  (7:1) castor/bajra/jowar in 6:2 ratio

*           Sow border crop (4 rows) of jowar or bajra

*           Adopt recommended improved variety, plant population (33 / m² ) and                                         plant protection.

*           Do not grow sunflower and marigold which are highly susceptible to tobacco streak virus which causes peanut stem necrosis

*           Use graded seed, follow seed treatment

*           Use gypsum (dose 500 kg/ha in the last ploughing or at 45 DAS)

*           Avoid delayed groundnut sowings beyond second fortnight of July which will result in increased pest and disease problems and reduced yields.

 

MAIZE:

*           Use recommended high yielding varieties/hybrids/composites

*           Ensure optimum plant population of about 66,000/ha –80,000/ha

*           Take up weed management up to one month after sowing

*            Balanced fertilization on the basis of soil testing or 120 N, 60 P₂0₅ and 40 K₂0 kg/ha with N at three  equal splits – one at sowing and another after 20-25 DAS and 40-45 DAS.

*           Zinc application in case of its deficiency at 50 kg zinc sulphate /ha once in 2 crops.

*           In sequence crops, maize-groundnut and maize – redgram to be preferred to maize-maize

*           Timely plant protection against stemborer and leaf spots

        Intensive Research for Paddy crop is being carried out at Agriculture Research Station, Nellore, for Groundnut at Regional Agriculture Research Station, Tirupati, for Sugarcane at ARS, Perumallapalle, for Horticulture crops at ARS, Anatharajupet, for Sheep rearing and maintenance at Live Stock Research Station, Palamaner . The research on vegetable and flower and aromatic crops may be intensified by establishing Horticulture Research Station in the district.   The Regional Research Station has developed technologies for crop production and protection for all major crops and the package is being adopted by the farmers in the district.   The identified the research gaps will taken up on priority basis for the concerned  Scientific staff on the following lines.

1)      On station research:

a)      Refining IPM technology for major crops. 

b)      Developing IDM technology for major crops.

c)      Developing management practices for control of soil born diseases.

2)      Strengthening on farm research trials in the identified AES.

3)      Conducting adoptive research trials and minikits by DAATTC centre and DOA and DOH.

       The Zonal Research  Station  caters to the needs of the farming community.  It is essential to allocate funds for strengthening existing on farm, on station research trials for rendering immediate end results.

AGRICULTURE