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Increasing Cropping Intensity and Profitability in Dry BARInd Area of Bangladesh, Utilizing Profile Soil Moisture and Supplemental Irrigation

A. A. Sarkar
Director (Admin. and Support Service)
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

M. H. Zaman
Agricultural Engineering Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

M. A. Rahman
Agricultural Engineering Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

J. Nain
TCP Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

N. M. Karim
Agricultural Engineering Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

M. H. Ali
Agricultural Engineering Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Under the current scarcity of land and the continued growth of population, there is no alternative but to continue intensifying agricultural production in Bangladesh. This urges for vertical expansion of agriculture. A large part of Barind area, north-western part of Bangladesh, suffers from dryness due to low and erratic rainfall, remains fallow during winter and dry season period. This study attempted to increase cropping intensity through conserving and utilizing profile soil moisture and minimal supplemental irrigation application. Rice-Fallow-Fallow, Rice-Chickpea-Sesame, Rice-Chickpea-Mungbean cropping patterns with different irrigation and mulching practices for dry-season crops were investigated, and economic analyses were performed to find out the most economic pattern couple with minimal irrigation water application. From the results of field experiments and economic analyses, Rice-Chickpea-Mungbean pattern identified the best as with ‘Binadhan-7’ for transplant Aman rice, ‘Binasola-4’ for chickpea, and ‘Binamoog-5’ for mungbean. A net profit of BDT 1,38,850.00 per hectare equivalent to US$ 1,734 can be obtained from this practice applying 6 cm water in dry-season crops chickpea and mungbean, which is BDT 94,468.00 equivalent to US$ 1,181 per hectare higher than the existing local pattern. This practice, if implemented over the dry area, can improve the livelihood of the farmers and food security of the country.

Keywords: Barind tract, Cropping intensity, Profitability, Moisture conservation, Rice-Chickpea-Mungbean cropping patterns

Location: Rajshahi, Natore and Bogra area.

Start Date: 00-06-2009

End Date: 10-10-2011

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Water management

Objectives:

To develop technique(s) to grow low water-demanding crop(s) in dry season with appropriate soil moisture conservation practice and supplemental irrigation, if necessary.

Methodology:

The following activities were carried out to reach the foresaid objective: • Investigated three (3) different cropping patterns (adding crop in dry season), adopting different crops to find out the best pattern in terms of yield and irrigation water need • Adopted different soil-moisture conservation practices (for dry season crops) to select the best practice • Evaluated net profit for each pattern to find out the best profitable one. The north-western region of Bangladesh is mainly occupied by Pleistocene deposits. It covers the district of Rajshahi, Natore and Bogra. This region is situated between 24^o22´ to 24^o51´ North and 89^o18´ to 89^o22´ East. The present study is, however, based on part of a configuration of three districts. In all patterns, transplant Aman (T. aman) rice was grown as rainfed condition (no supplemental irrigation). In pattern-1 (existing pattern), the local cultivar ‘Sumon’ was grown. In other two patterns, a short duration rice variety ‘Binadhan-7’ was used. In chickpea, sesame and mungbean, different irrigation and/or mulching practices were tested. In profitability analysis, the best treatment combination was used. After T. aman rice, the same plot and layout were used for the successive crop chickpea of the pattern. Seeds of three chickpea varieties were sown following split-plot design on 22 November 2010 at 5 cm distance within rows of 20 cm apart. The individual and sub-plot sizes were 4 m × 5 m and 2 m × 5 m, respectively, and the treatments were replicated thrice. Recommended fertilizer doses for the varieties were applied. The treatments were as follows: Main plot treatments: Irrigation and mulch W₀ = No irrigation + no mulch W₁ = No irrigation + mulching (straw) W₂ = Irrigation at vegetative stage + no mulch W₃ = Irrigation at vegetative stage + mulching (straw) Sub-plot treatments: Varieties V₁ = Binasola-4 V₂ = Binasola-5 V₃ = BARI Chola-5. The individual and sub-plot sizes were 4 m × 5 m and 2 m × 5 m, respectively and the treatments were replicated thrice. Recommended fertilizer doses for the varieties were applied. The treatments are as follows. Main-plot treatments: Irrigation W₀ = No irrigation (only the use of profile soil moisture) W₁ = One irrigation at vegetative stage (20-25 days after sowing) W₂ = One irrigation at flowering stage (40-57 days after sowing) W₃ = One irrigation at vegetative stage and one irrigation at flowering stage Sub-plot treatments: Varieties V₁= Binatil-1 V₂ = Binatil-2 and V₃ = BARI Til-4After chickpea, the same plot and layout were used for the successive crop mungbean of the pattern. Seeds of three mungbean varieties were sown following split plot design at 5 cm distances within rows of 20 cm apart. The individual and sub-plot sizes were 4 m × 6 m and 4 m × 3 m, respectively, and the treatments were replicated thrice. The treatments which were followed are as follows: Main-plot treatments: Irrigation and mulch W₀ = No irrigation + no mulch W₁ = No irrigation + Mulching only (straw) W₂ = Irrigation at vegetative stage + No mulch W₃ = Irrigation at vegetative stage + Mulching (straw) Sub-plot treatments: Varieties V₁ = Binamoog-5 V₂ = Binamoog-8 V₃ = BARI Mung-5 The recorded data were analyzed following split plot design and the means were separated by least significant difference (LSD).

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Nuclear Agric. 27 & 28: 103-118, 2013

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

From the results of field experiments and economic analyses, Rice-Chickpea-Mungbean pattern identified the best as with ‘Binadhan-7’ for transplant Aman rice, ‘Binasola-4’ for chickpea, and ‘Binamoog-5’ for mungbean. A net profit of BDT 1,38,850.00 per hectare equivalent to US$ 1,734 can be obtained from this practice applying 6 cm water in dry-season crops chickpea and mungbean, which is BDT 94,468.00 equivalent to US$ 1,181 per hectare higher than the existing local pattern. This practice, if implemented over the dry area, can improve the livelihood of the farmers and food security of the country.

Knowledge Management: Journal