PRECISION AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE FOR KARNATAKA A NEW DIRECTION FOR STRENGTHENING FARMING COMMUNITY

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1 PRECISION AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE FOR KARNATAKA A NEW DIRECTION FOR STRENGTHENING FARMING COMMUNITY M.B. Patil, Shanwad U.K., Veeresh H., Mastan Reddy,B.G, Pandit Rathod, Rajesh, N.L. Shailendrakuar, L.B.Hugar, B.T.Pujari, B.V.Patil University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur , Karnataka, India V.C.Patil Agriculture Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Raj Khosla Colorado State University, USA ABSTRACT Strengthening agriculture is crucial to eet the yriad challenges of rural poverty, food security, uneployent, and sustainability of natural resources and it also needs strengthening at technical, financial and anageent levels. In this context an initiation have been ade in Karnataka State under RKVY funded project on ing towards strengthening the research institutions / scientists, farers, extension groups to address the issues pertaining to adopt faring techniques through farer-centric plans and strategies ephasising ore on educating farers, line departents. This project is being ipleented in the farers fields of Raichur, Koppal and Gulbarga districts, covering Cotton, Rice and Pigeon Pea crops respectively. To begin with, the efforts are ade towards delineation of anageent zones through grid sapling (Sub-field level approach) based on the variability that exists in soil with respect to fertility, EC, and Organic atter content. Further, GIS aps (at 1:1 scale) were generated for each paraeter which would help to correlate with the yield aps to develop a robust action plan at grid level for precise faring anageent. The project is envisaged to develop spectral signatures of the crops through surface and reote sensing techniques to understand the variability in crop health under the influence of biotic and abiotic stresses. Based on these, a systeatic strategy will be developed and adopted towards precise application of various far inputs and far anageent practices. Apart fro the conventional field survey and laboratory analysis, state-of-the-art intelligent guidance tools like DGPS, EM Probe, Green Seeker, and Weather Trackers are being used to arrive with coprehensive solutions. The project is aied to develop a professional approach to ensure the knowledge epowerent of faring and scientific counity of the state, with an overall objective of iproving the livelihood of the farers. Key words: faring, Manageent zone, Karnataka.

2 INTRODUCTION Increasing production in all spheres is iperative to eet the growing deand of the population in India in ters of food, fodder, fiber, fuel, tiber and industrial raw aterials. The need is increasing to produce ore and ore fro less and less of land and water both in quantity and quality; and tie. The agricultural production is no longer profitable despite higher investent. The efforts ade so far were generally concentrated in iproving the crop productivity on a single crop/ enterprise basis without uch attention towards the associated areas that support or influence the crop growth (syste as a whole). The declining sustainability of the agricultural systes in India can be traced to the exploitation of resources without conservation for sustenance and profits. An approach in a syste basis is the need of the hour for overall sustainable developent. The aspects of efficient use of resources with conservation, growth with equity and sustainability are the difficult tasks to accoplish given the background of agricultural diversity and stubborn traditions attached to agriculture in India. Although India has ade considerable advance in agricultural research, but still the blanket recoendations of fertilizers for adoption over larger areas are in vogue. These blanket recoendations are no ore useful to enhance productivity gains, which were witnessed between 1960 s and 1980 s. Now, to enhance growth rate in productivity, faring technology has to be developed. faring is iportant because: (i) nutrient variability within a field can be very high affecting optiu fertilizer rates, (ii) yield potential and grain protein can also vary greatly even within one field, affecting fertilizer requireent, (iii) increasing fertilizer use efficiency will becoe ore iportant with increasing fertilizer costs and environent concerns, (iv)irrigation at critical stages is very iportant and (v) pest and stress anageent at early stages helps the farer to get axiu yield (V.C.Patil, 2009 and Mondal,2011). Karnataka state fors the South Western part of the Deccan Peninsula and lies between 11.5 and 18.6 North latitude and 74.0 and 78.4 East longitudes. It is the 8th largest state in the country having an area of 191,791 Sq. K (6.25% of India s total area of 3,065,027 Sq. K). According to the 2001 census, farers and agricultural laborers fored 56% of the workforce of Karnataka. The State is divided into 10 Agro-cliatic zones on the basis of soil structure, huidity, elevation, topography, vegetation, rainfall and other agrocliatic factors (Raasway, 2006). The state of Karnataka now has four State Agriculture Universities of which the recently established [2009] UAS, Raichur is andated priarily to focus on North-Eastern Karnataka region covering the districts of Raichur, Bidar, Gulbarga, Koppal, Bellary and Yadgir with about one-fourth of the state geographical area. The average per hectare consuption of N.P.K. nutrient is 52 kgs in the region as against 62 kgs in the state. Consuption of nitrogenous and phosphate nutrients has steadily increased in the area of cereals & pulses, where as potash consuption has becoe stagnant over last three years. The University has taken the lead in Karnataka by ebarking a project on ing

3 under the guidance of Dr. Raj Khosla, Professor of Agriculture & Extension Specialist, Departent of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, USA and the President - International Society of Agriculture. In this context, an initiation has been ade in Karnataka State, a National Agriculture Developent Project Plan (RKVY- Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana), Governent of Karnataka funded project on ing in selected field crops naely, paddy, cotton and pigeon pea the ajor crops of the area on farer participatory basis is in operation since 2011 in all the three State Agriculture Universities. UAS, Raichur is the lead centre to guide and onitor the project activities in other two universities of the state at Dharwad and Bangalore. Research and deonstration trials are undertaken on farers fields and university research fars. er Centric approach as the focal point of this project, therefore the process of developent begins at the far. It is aied towards strengthening the research institutions / scientists, farers, extension groups to address the issues pertaining to adopt faring techniques through farer-centric plans and strategies ephasising ore on educating farers, line departents through series of capacity building workshops, field deonstrations, on far trials and institution based trainings. A Agriculture Research Laboratory is being set up at College of Agriculture, Raichur under UAS, Raichur and a course on Agriculture to post graduate students is being offered fro Initially the project is envisaged to assess the spatial variability in the agriculture research far of UAS, Raichur and as well as in the selected farers field with the following objectives; To adopt and deonstrate faring techniques for paddy, pigeon pea and cotton Adopt appropriate faring achinery/equipent to increase the input use efficiency Ipart training to the farers and the officials of the line departents and extend advisory services on faring techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study Area This project is being ipleented during Kharif-2011 at UAS, Raichur on four fars under 8 experiental plots and also in the farers fields of Raichur, Koppal and Gulbarga districts (Fig.1), covering Cotton, Rice and Pigeon Pea crops

4 6 and 36 N, and 68 and 98 E. Coordinates : and N and and E Two ajor rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra The general slope fro the north-west to the south-east 11 30' and 18 30' N 74 and 78 30' E MSL : 1,311 feet Fig.1. PROJECT AREA UNDER UAS, RACIHUR JURISDICTION On research fars, one ha area each of and non- [farers practice] as check were laid out and crops were raised for effective coparisions. Grid based soil sapling and crop growth observations The surface soil saples (0-20 c depth) were collected on grid basis i.e., 10X10 at research fars and 50X50 at farers plots to assess the spatial variability on soil fertility status. The exact saple location was recorded using a DGPS (Make: Trible GeoXH). Processed soil saples were analyzed for various paraeters such as ph, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Soil Organic Carbon (OC), N, available N, available P 2 O 5 and available K 2 O. During the crop growth period, the periodic observations were ade (grid wise) on gerination percentage, plant eergence, physiological aturity, pest and disease incidence and yield. Developent of Variable Rate Application Strategies Variable rate of input application was ade based on Soil Test Crop Recoendation approach. This ephasizes the application of fertilizer nutrients to each crop as per targeted yield and also considers the soil analysis results. The equations developed by AICRP on STCR which are unique for each crop, soil type and cliatic conditions were used. Therefore, each grid area received variable rate of NPK applications depending on the initial soil nutrient status, thus iniized the probability of grid areas with high soil test values receiving higher doses of nutrient inputs and vice-versa which is a coon ipedient under blanket application of fertilizer inputs. For exaple: STCR equation as recoended by AICRP for Hyderabad Karnataka region. (Raaoorthi et al.,1967) Crop: Pigeon pea; Target Yield: 18 q/ha FN=5.61T-0.54SN; FP2O5=5.72T-4.73SP; FK2O=6.33T-0.17SK

5 The details of area and crops with grid size and nubers are given below (Table 1 and Plate 1). Either on the far and/or on the farer s fields wherein, the nuber of grids did not atch the exact area specified due to loss of land area because of bunds and far paths. Table 1: Details of experiental plots at on-far (UAS, Raichur) and at ers field Sl. No Crop Variety /Hybri d COTT ON [Bt] Dr.Bent, Kanaka, Raasi PADD Y [Sona Mahsur i] PIGEO N PEA [TS- 3R] Place Raichur Marichet hal Bhiara yanagud i Raichur Gangava ti Raichur Gulbarg a / er s er s er s Village Raichur Marichet hal Bhiaray anagudi Raichur Gangavat i Jangaar a Kalgudi Raichur Precisio n/ Precisio n Plot No AREA (Acre) No. of Grids A A B B Gulbarga B Grid Size No. of ers 07 28

6 Afzalpur a taluka er s Chinag era Ingalagi Chowdap ur C C

7 Plate 1: Experiental plots of cotton, pigeon pea and paddy under faring project at UAS-R research far RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Variability in Yields of crops Grid-wise systeatic observations on crop growth paraeters and yield were recorded. The yield variability within the area of one hectare (10X10 eter grid in UAS-R research far) and as well the yield variability as observed in the farers field (adopted 50X50 eter grid) are presented here. The results revealed that the grid wise spatial variability exists aong yields of the crops. Ironically, the plots with adoption of STCR approach were also shown the significant variations aong the grid wise yield (Table 2). This indicated that the corrective easures can only be adopted with rigorous analysis of various yield liiting factors and not just by adopting corrective easures for soil. Therefore, as advised by the international consultant on faring, Prof. Raj khosla, the first 2 years will be kept for observing the spatial variability under the conventional practice and thereafter derivation of anageent zones can be done with the help of Geostatistical and Geospatial Technologies. However, the variability recorded aong the crop yields are presented here, the highest yield in cotton is obtained in plots was 3500 Kg/ha and the iniu was 800Kg/ha. In paddy, the highest yield (10790Kg/ha) was recorded at farers fields and the least (4820Kg/ha) was in the research far and in pigeon pea, the range of yield levels was between 680 to 1401 Kg/ha with highest yield recorded at farers fields. The GIS aps of the spatial variability in yield levels of cotton, paddy and pigeon pea at plots [on far] are given [Fig. 2, 3 and 4]. Table 2: The yield data of project area in different crops Sl. No. Crop Nae 1 Cotton 2 Paddy Type - - Station Nae / er s Village Nae Raichur Raichur 824 Marichetha l Yield (Kg/ha ) Raichur Raichur 1476 ers Marichet hal B'Gudi B'Gudi NA Gangavat 4260 i Gangavati Gangavat 4820 i

8 3 Pigeon Pea Gangavati ers Jangaar akal Gudi Raichur Raichur Gulbarga Gulbarga 452 Gulbarga Chinag era Gulbarga ers 750 Ingalagi Chowdap 811 ur

9 Fig. 2: GIS ap of yield variability in cotton crop [on far] Fig. 3: GIS ap of yield variability in paddy crop [on far]

10 Fig.4: GIS ap of yield variability in pigeonpea crop [on far] It is evident fro the grid based apping and also fro the kriging that there is significant variation aong the yields of cotton (fig. 2), paddy (Fig. 3) and pigeon pea (Fig. 4) within the area of one hectare. Although the yield values differ fro grid to grid, the grid based apping is generated upon consderation of range of classes indicating singnificant variations aong the crop yield. Thus spatial variations observed in this experient is agnifying the iportance of anaging the with-in the field variation by deriving the exact yield liiting factors at each variation. The yield range derived fro the grid based apping for cotton yield was kg/100 2, kg/100 2 and kg/100 2 (fig, 2). The paddy yield was observed as low as 1 kg/100 2 and as high as kg/ The yield range derived fro the grid ap for paddy (fig. 3) were kg/100 2, kg/100 2 and kg/ Siilalrly, there was wide variation in the yield of pgeon pea, which was as low as 3.42 kg/100 2 and as high as kg/ 100 2, the yield range of pigeon pea fro the grid ap (fig. 4) were kg/100 2, kg/100 2, kg/ and kg The above results reveal that it is iperative to derive the anageent zones dipicting the vations of yield liiting factors and to adopt 5 Rs rules, i.e. Right place, Right quantity, Right tie, Right Source and Right input to adopt Right faring techniques (Raj Khosla). However an attept has been ade to derive anageent zones for grid based observations through kriging a

11 spatial interpolation technique (using ESRI s ArcGIS 2010). The kriging ap showing zones of variations for all the 3 crop yields is dervied fro the ordinary kriging and spherical odel have been used in coon. Though the kriging shows the significant zones of variations, it is understood that there is need for analysing the paraetes for autocorrelation, ultiple regression and covariance and then to adopt approriate kriging odel for specific variations in the paraetes. Therefore the attepts are being initiated to work on geostatistical tachniques to arrive at appropriate anageent zones. Conclusions This first year study on adoption of faring tools and techniques in selected field crops is being copleted under farers participatory approach at farers fields of Raichur, Gulbarga and Koppal districts, covering equivalent of 100 acres each in Cotton, Pigeon Pea and Paddy crops respectively, that represent ajor crops of the North Eastern Karnataka Zone, along with on far research deonstration plots [5.00 acres in each crop] at research stations [04] of UAS, Raichur. The spatial variability in soil, crop conditions and yield of the crops of different fields were detected, quantified and the GIS aps of the variability were prepared. Further, efforts are under progress to develop and interpret relationships of these varying soil and crop conditions with the yields of crops. During this year, it was tried through series of capacity building workshops/interaction eets/ trainings/field days to educate the project scientists and farers towards the use of iportant coponents of agriculture viz., GPS in the fields for geo-referencing their plots and GIS in the laboratory in understanding and quantifying the variability in crops and soils. There is a good response fro the farers towards usage of these tools as they felt a great ipact of use of these tools in their fields and now they are ore confident of the principles and concepts of agriculture. There are opportunities for adoption of agricultural techniques around the globe. The for of practices ay be different fro one place to another place, depending upon the creative indset of farers, practitioners, scientists and consultants local to the area of interest. There are several exaples of nutrient anageent practices fro several countries where farers and practitioners have overcoe the challenges and converted the into opportunities by harnessing the global inforation and developing local techniques suitable for their region, operation and resources (Raj Khosla, 2010). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was funded by the National Agriculture Developent Project Plan (RKVY - Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) through Karnataka State Governent. The financial support is greatly acknowledged. The assistance provided by field staff and the farers in the conduct of field research was of great value. The adinistrative and operational support rendered by the authorities of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur is always ore appreciable and uch obliged.

12 REFERENCES Patil V. C. and Shanwad U. K., Relevance of ing to Indian Agriculture. In the Second National Conference on Agro-Inforatics and ing, 2-3 Deceber 2009, Raichur, Karnataka, India. Pinaki Mondal, Basu M.and Bhadoria, P. B. S., Review of Agriculture Technologies and Its Scope of Adoption in India. Aerican Journal of Experiental Agriculture 1(3): Raj Khosla, agriculture: challenges and opportunities in a flat world. In the 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World, 1 6 August 2010, Brisbane, Australia. Raaoorthy, B., Narasiha, R.L., Dinesh, R.S., Fertilizer application for specific yield target of sonara-64 wheat. Indian ing, 17: Raasway,2006. Karnataka Agriculture Policy Karnataka, Bangalore pp.100. Governent of Tandon, H.L.S. 2007, Better Crops- India 1-1: