Effect of land modification on physico-chemical properties of soils and yield of rice in southern Tamil Nadu

摘要

In Vaigai command area of southern Tamil Nadu, rice-rice is the dominant cropping system. The total rainfall is about 800 mm confined mainly during October to December. The cultivation of rice is not remunerative due to low price and low yield resulting from uncertain and erratic water supply. Therefore, farmers are advised by the State Departement of Agriculture for alternate crops. But the problems in raising alternate crops are that the low-lying area and clay texture of soils gets inundated during heavy rainfall and it is not suitable for alternative crops. Water seepage from the system tanks is also hindering the alternative cropping near the tanks. The production of rice and other low-duty crop in such area is possible by land modification (Siddiq and Kundu 1993). If the fields are modified into an alternate sunken and raised 苠ds, the total water requirement can be reduced by growing rice in sunken beds and low duty crops in raised beds. Thus the total irrigation requirement may be less andthe net income is likely to be more because of inclusion of high value crop in the raised beds. Therefore, considering all these aspects, an experiment was conducted to study the impact of land modification on physical and chemical properties of soil andyield of rice and okra crops in southern Tamil Nadu.