Crop Production in dryland farming

A) Water harvesting:-

It is the process of collection of excess runoff water during the period of peak rainfall in storage structures like tanks and ponds So that it can be utilized during subsequent dry season.

The water harvesting Process includes :

a) Selection of catchment area

b) Selection of water collection area

c) Construction of farm pond: excavated for terai and embankment for hill and mountain

d) Water runoff inducement from the catchment area to the collection area

B) IN SITU MOISTURE CONSERVATION:-

a) Inter-row water harvesting (ridge and furrow planting)

• Ridges and furrows are made by ridge maker at a right angle to the slope of the field
• Crops are planted on ridges in heavy soil
• Crops are planted on furrows in light soil

b) Broad beds and furrows (Bed planting)

• Broad beds (120 to 180 cm breadth) are prepared by the bed maker at a right angle to the slope of the field
• Crops are planted on beds in multiple rows
• Runoff water is drained through furrows and collected in field pond

C) Inter-plot water harvesting:-

• Preparation of the main cropping plot and adjacent fallow plots on one or both sides
• Adjacent plots are given slide slope to induce runoff towards the cropped plot

D) Control or reduction of water loss:-

a) Reduce the surface runoff of water

• Land leveling and bunding of field at Terai region
• Terracing and contour planting in Hill region
• Deep tillage of soil to break hard pan

b) Reduce water loss through evaporation

• Mulching of soil surface with organic or synthetic mulch
• Reduce water loss through transpiration
• Dusting reflectance over leaf surface like kaolinite
• Spray of film forming chemicals over leaf surface like the emulsion of plastic wax and latex
• Spray of stomatal closing chemicals like phenyl mercuric acetate @ 40 g/liter of water