AGRICULTURAL FIELD EXPERIMENTS INFORMATION SYSTEM

Transcription

1 AGRICULTURAL FIELD EXPERIMENTS INFORMATION SYSTEM P.K.Batra and O.P.Khanduri I.A.S.R.I., Library Avenue, New delhi Introduction Research support is a necessary pre-requisite for planning and development of agriculture and allied disciplines. For realizing full benefits of the efforts and resources spent on agricultural research, it is essential to ensure ready availability of results to the concerned agencies. The documented research data would not only assist a scientist drawing up a programme of investigations in knowing the extent of work done in the past, the approaches followed and the type of results obtained by other scientists in the field but also help a planner to base the projections and building up reliable estimates of yardsticks of additional production for the various inputs on sound footing. It will also help an administrator and extension worker to take the proven results from the Lab to Land for adoption by the farmers. In order to cater to the needs of all these persons, it is felt that a comprehensive information system on agricultural field experiments in the country is necessary. A basic requirement for the proper functioning of an Agricultural Field Experiments Information System is the systematic maintenance of data of experiments undertaken on the various disciplines of agricultural technology at a central place. The system should also provide arrangements for the extensive collection of data on comparable basis, their scrutiny and appropriate statistical analysis. The coverage should be reasonably complete in order to ensure that serious biases are not introduced on account of selectivity of data. Relevant ancillary information on cultural and other practices followed also needs to be collected and maintained in order to help the users to draw proper inferences. The information system has three major components viz. Information generation, Information processing and Information dissemination, which we shall discuss in sequel. 2. Information Generation Agricultural field experiments conducted at numerous research stations in the country by different agencies will form the base for the generation of information. The plot-wise yield data together with ancillary information like object, basal-conditions etc. under which experiments have been conducted, will be collected from the research stations. Three types of proformae viz. (a) Type A-1 for annual crops, (b) Type-B for perennial crops and (c) Type-C for experiments on cultivators fields are being utilized for collecting the experimental information from research stations. Contents of these proformae are given in (Appendix-A). For the purpose of transferring the data on secondary storage device floppies/tapes and also for identifying each experiment uniquely suitable data structure has been developed as described below.

2 2.1. Data preparation Scheme The experimental information has been divided into eight well-defined data items called divisions. These divisions are (i) Identification, (ii) Object, (iii) Basal Conditions, (iv) Treatments, (v) Design, (vi) General Information, (vii) Plot-wise Data, (viii) Results. Each of the division other than Identification and Results division will be considered as a single data item and contain the information on various characteristics of the experiments as given in the (Appendix-A). Identification division contains 3 sub-records namely, Index record-i, and Index record-ii and Identification record. Both the index records contain the coded information on the important characteristics of the experiment. Various items on which the information is available in the index records are given in the record design for index card-i and index card-ii (Appendix-B). Identification record gives the name of the crop, site, season and type (depending upon the treatments) of the experiment. Results of the experiment have been divided into two parts. Part-I of the results contains General Mean, Standard Error, significance of treatments effect and mean of control/extra treatments, if any, tried in the experiment. Part-II of the results contains means of the treatments/two-way mean tables for various factors tried in the experiment. Further, analysed results of the experiments are to be stored only in cases where plot-wise data is not available. Thus, either plot-wise data or the results of the experiment will be stored under the information System Data Preparation Sheets Six data preparation sheets have been developed for coding the information of the experiment. For Identification division, three data preparation sheets have been devised, one each for Index record-i, Index record-ii and Identification record. Fourth data preparation sheet has been devised for recording of the Alphanumeric information of the experiment i.e. for Object, Basal Conditions, Treatments, Design, General-Information and Results (Part-I) of the experiment while fifth and sixth are to be used for recording the numerical information in respect of plotwise data, results (Part-II) of the experiment respectively. 3. Information Processing After coding the data it shall be transferred on to the secondary storage device viz. floppies. The experiment record on floppies will be of variable length. Further, it is also proposed to have separate files for each state that would include all the experiments conducted by various agencies in the state. Within each file, the experiments may be arranged crop-wise, type-wise (depending upon the nature of treatments) and research stations-wise. These files would be updated periodically. Suitable computer programmes for storing, retrieving, updating of files and extracting full/part of the information of the experiment have been prepared. Directory of information so stored is proposed to be created wherein Index record of each experiment will be stored. The various data items of Index record of a experiment to be stored in the directory are code number of experiments (State code, year, serial number), basic data available/not available, result available/not available, soil type, irrigated/unirrigated, number of treatment factors, design, number of replications, plot-dimensions, crop-condition, disease and pest attack, whether single/group experiment. 108

3 4. Information dissemination A directory of experiments stored, will be brought out periodically for the benefit of research workers, which would provide the type of experiments conducted on different crops at the various agricultural research stations spread over the entire country and available at the Institute. Detailed information as desired by the various users, on request, will be, retrieved and supplied. Analysis tasks for review purposes may also be carried out as and when required. It may however be said that the agricultural field experiments information system will help research community, planner etc. to carry out their work more efficiently. 109

4 APPENDIX-A PROFORMAE USED FOR COLLECTING THE INFORMATION FROM RESEARCH STATIONS Form A-1: Experiments with annual crops (i) Reference: Type (ii) (a) Site & Centre: (b) Sponsoring agency of the experiment: (iii) Crop Season: (iv) Object of the experiment: Name of the Scientist(s) 1. BASAL CONDITIONS (i) (a) Crop rotation, if any, followed (b) Previous crop (c) Manuring of previous crop (State amount and kind),(ii) Soil type, (iii)date of sowing/planting, (iv) Cultural practices, (a) Preparatory cultivation, (b) Method of sowing, (c) Seed-rate, (d) Spacing, (e) Number of seedlings/hole,(v) Basal manuring given to the whole experiment, (vi) Variety (indicate also early, medium or late), (vii) Irrigated or un-irrigated,(viii) Important post sowing/planting cultural operations such as weeding, etc., (ix) Rainfall during crop season, (x) Date of harvest. 2. TREATMENTS Treatments in full (give time and method of application) 3. DESIGN (i) Design (indicate confounded effects, if any), (ii) (a) Number of plots per block, (b) block dimensions (iii) Number of replications (iv) Plot-size (dimensions), (a) Gross, (b) Net, (v) Border or guard rows kept, (vi) Are treatments randomized independently in each block? 4. GENERAL INFORMATION (i) Crop conditions during growth (if lodged, state date of lodging). (ii) Incidence of pests and diseases and control measures taken, (iii) Type of quantitative observations taken, (iv) (a) If the experiment is continued for more than one year, year of commencement and year of termination, (b) Are treatments assigned to the same plots every year?, (c) Reference to combined analysis, if any, (v) Other centres, if any, where the same experiment has been conducted, (vi) Abnormal occurrences such as heavy rains, drought, etc., (vii) Any other important information. 5. RESULTS Summary table (s) and S.E. (s) 110

5 Form-B: Experiments with perennial crops (i) Reference: (ii) (a) Experimental Station or farm (Site) (b) Sponsoring agency of the experiment (iii) Crop: (iv) Object of the experiment: Name of Scientist(s) 1. BASAL CONDITIONS (i) Previous history of the experimental area (Give manuring and other operations), (ii) (a) soil type, (b) Analytical results of soil, if available, (iii) Method of propagation of plants, (iv) Variety, (v) Date and method of sowing/planting (including spacing), (vi) Age of seedlings at planting, (vii) Basal manuring given to the whole experimental area, (viii) Important cultural operations during the experimental year, (ix) Inter-cropping, if any, (x) Irrigated or un-irrigated (if irrigated, give the source, number, interval and intensity of irrigation, (xi) Rainfall during experimental year, (xii) Date(s) of harvest. 2. TREATMENTS Treatments in full (Give time and method of application). 3. DESIGN (i) Design (indicate confounded effects, if any), (ii) (a) Number of plots per block, (b) Block dimensions, (iii) Number of replications, (iv) (a) Net plot-size, (b) Number of trees per plot, (v) Border or guard rows kept, (vi) Whether treatments are randomized independently in each block? 4. GENERAL INFORMATION (i) Crop condition during growth, (ii) Incidence of pests and diseases and control measures taken, (iii) Types of quantitative observations taken, (iv) If the experiment has continued for more than one year, indicate year of commencement and year of termination (Give references of previous years, if any), (v) Other centres, if any, where the same experiment has been conducted, (vi) Reference to combined analysis, if any, (vii) Abnormal occurrences such as heavy rains, drought, etc. (viii) Any other important information. 5. RESULTS Summary table(s) and S.E.(s). 111

6 Form C: Experiments on cultivators fields (i) Reference: Type (ii) (a) Site and Centre: (b) sponsoring agency of the experiments: (iii) Crop: (iv) Object of the experiment: Season: Name of the Scientist(s): 1. BASAL CONDITIONS (i) (a)crop rotation, if any, (b) Previous crop, (c) Manuring of previous crop, (ii) Soil type and soil analysis, if available, (iii) Basal manuring (give time and method of application), (iv) Variety, (v) Cultural practices, (a) Preparatory cultivation, (b) Method of sowing, (c) Seed rate, (d) Spacing, (e) Number of seedlings/hole (vi) Date of sowing/planting cultural operations, (ix) Rainfall during crop season, (x) Date of harvest. 2. TREATMENT Treatments in full (Give time and method of application) 3. DESIGN (i) Design with Number of plots/block and Number of replications, (ii) Method of selection of sites with number and distribution of experiments, (iii) (a) Gross plot-size, (b) Net plot-size, (iv) Whether treatments are randomized? 4. GENERL INFORMATION (i) Crop condition during growth, (ii) Incidence of pests and diseases and control measures taken, (iii) Types of quantitative observations taken, (iv) In case of repetition in successive years, (a) Year of commencement and termination (b) Whether treatments assigned to the same plots every year (c) References to combined analysis, if any. (v) In case of repetition at other places, give names with references, if any, (vi) Abnormal occurrences such as heavy rains, drought, etc., (viii) Any other important information. 5. RESULTS Summary table(s) and S.E. (s). 112

7 APPENDIX - B 1. Data preparation design for Index Card -1 Sl.No. Item No. of Column Column No. Format 1. Record design (00511) 6. Rec. No. in the Expt. Div I2 7. Research Station I3 8. Crop I3 9. Season I2 10. Type of experiment I2 11. Soil classification I2 12. Soil structure 1 29 I1 13. Irrigation 1 30 I1 14. Number of factors 1 31 I1 15. Factor Code I3 16. Factor Level I2 17. No. of Extra/Control treats I1 18. Total No. of treats. tried I3 19. No. of replications I2 20. Design code I2 21. Confounded code I2 22. Conversion factor in kg/ha F

8 2. Data Preparation Design for Index Card-II Sl. No. Item No. of Column Column No. Format 1. Record design I5(00512) 6. Rec. No. in the Expt. Div I2 7. Crop condition I2 8. Intensity of damage due to disease 1 19 I1 9. Intensity of damage due to pest 1 20 I1 10. Year of Start I2 11. Year of termination I2 12. Whether contd I1 13. Basic data/analysis available 1 26 I1 14. Character code I2 15. Unit of recording I2 16. Proforma used 1 31 I1 17. Variety name A Ref. No. of link Expt(s) I5 19. Year of reporting I2 20. Agency sponsoring the experiment I3 3. Data Preparation Design for Identification-record Sl. No. Item No. of Column Column No. Format 1. Record design I5(00513) 6. Rec. No. in Expt. Div I2 7. Crop name A Type of Expt A 5 9. Season A Research Station A

9 4. Data preparation Design for Details of Expt. Div. [Other than plot-wise data & Results (Mean Table)] Sl. No. Item No. of Column Column No. Format 1. Record design I5 (00514) 6. Rec. number in the Expt. Div I2 7. Detils of the Expt. (within each Division) A Word continuation sign 1 77 A1 9. Total No. of cards in the Expts. Div I2 115

10 5. Data Preparation Design for coding Results (Mean Table) Sl. No. Item No. of Column Column No. Format 1. Record design I5(00515) 6. Rec. number in the Expt. Div I2 7. Mean table values F Total No. of cards in the Expts. Div I2 9. End Identification 1 80 A1 6. Data Preparation Design for coding Plot-wise Data Sl. No. tem No. of Column Column No. Format 1. Record design I5(00516) 6. Rec. number in the Expt. Div I2 7. Plot-wise data F Total No. of cards in the Expts. Div I2 9. End Identification 1 80 A1 116