On recommendation of the Royal Commission on Agriculture in India, the first systematic and scientific approach to solve the problems of dry farming was made in the year 1923 and systematic research on dry farming in the Scarcity tracts of Bombay-Deccan was first initiated at Manjari, Pune. The work in the early years was directed towards soil moisture conservations. After working for few years, it was realized that the problem was vast and complex and required simultaneous research on different aspects such as disposal of rainwater, soil characters, water requirement of plants etc. The results of these preliminary investigations formed a basis for an elaborate and comprehensive programme of research undertaken in the years that followed. The comprehensive research on rainfall and other climatic factors, disposal of rain water and soil erosion, physico-chemical characteristics of soil, physiological studies of important millets grown in dry tracts, agronomy or soil management was initiated at Solapur under the guidance of Chief Investigator from 1933. The dry land agriculture research station was established in 1933 to undertake dry farming research with assistance from the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, Delhi. It was then made permanent feature of the State Department of Agriculture after 1944. A technique known as Bombay Dry Farming Method laid stress on better utilization of moisture by reducing plant densities and better inter cultivation. Fertilizer use was not envisaged at thattime, cropland varietal diversity was also not adequate which resulted in emphasizing the growing of few crops only. Further, weather observations were not considered to plan different strategies of crop production. The All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture centre was started in 1970-71 at Solapur.
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