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Location
District : Tuticorin
State : Tamil Nadu
Agro-ecosystem : Rainfed
Research
Territory
Rainfed black soil areas of southern district of Tamil Nadu
viz., Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Virudhunagar,
Madurai
and Ramanathapuram dt.
Geo reference
Latitude : 09o12’N,
Longitude : 77o53’E
MSL : 166.42m
Climate
Rainfall (2001-02) : 736.2
Rainfall (normal)* : 743.1
PET (mm) : 21.5 to
36.5 mm
Annual
Normal
Max Temp : 34.9o C
Min Temp : 22.8 o C
Sunshine (Hrs) : 7.083
Wind speed : 8.99 km/hr
Crop period Normal
Max Temp : 33.6o C
Min Temp : 21.3 o C
Sunshine (Hrs) : 7.3
Wind speed : 6.45 km/hr
Normal onset of monsoon
Date / Week : 2nd fort
night of September
(39th std week)
Cessation of monsoon
Date / Week : 2nd fort
night of December
Soil
Type : Black soil
AWC (%)
: 14 to 35
pH : 7.8 to 8.2
EC (dS / m)
: < 1
Depth (cm)
: 110 – 150
Erosion status
: Medium
Drainage class
: Moderate
Surface texture
: Clayey
Prevailing slope
: < 1 %
Organic carbon
: < 0.5 %
Available
Nitrogen (Walkey & black) < 180 kg/ha
Phosphate (olsen) < 11
kg/ha
Potash (ammonium acetate) > 360 kg/ha
Zn (< 12 mg/kg) Fe (< 3.67 mg/kg)
Fine, Smectitic , Isohyperthermic family of Typic
Chromustert
Background :
Established – 1901
Merged with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University – 1.4.1981
Mandate :
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Research on dryland crops
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Breeding High Yielding crop varieties
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Crop weather models
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Weekly weather forecasting
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Integrated nutrient management
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Agronomic technologies
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Land management practices
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Integrated plant protection measures
First crop specialist :
K. Kannaiyan (1962 - 1963)
First Professor and Head :
Dr. V. Ravi kumar (1982-1985)
Research Activities
Rain Water Management:
In an experiment to find out suitable land
treatment for moisture conservation, the land treatment tested
were farmers practice, compartmental bunding, broad bed furrows
and vegetative barrier with Vettiver. From the runoff and yield
data, it was observed that out of the runoff producing rainfall
of 316.2 m3, only 9.5 m 3 of water was
recorded as runoff in the compartmental bunding treatment which
was seventy per cent less than the runoff recorded in the
control treatment (32.56 m3). Due to higher moisture
stored in compartmental bunding treatment, the yield of cotton +
blackgram was high which accounted for 608 kg/ha of cotton and
231 kg/ha of blackgram. This was 21.7 and 29.7 per cent higher
than the yield of cotton (476 kg/ha) and blackgram (178 kg/ha )
obtained in the control treatment.
The results of the experiment on low till
farming strategies for resource conservation and soil quality
for rainfed vertisols revealed that among the tillage treatment,
conventional tillage i.e., disc ploughing once followed by
harrowing twice has recorded a mean yield of 1262.88 kg/ha which
was significantly superior to the low tillage treatments. In
the sub plot treatments of nutrient management, the treatment in
which 50% FYM + 50% inorganic fertilizers (Urea) were applied
has recorded a mean yield of 1126.88 kg/ha which was superior to
the treatment in which 100% organic manure plus inorganic
fertilizers were applied. The interactive effect of tillage and
nutrient supply revealed that conventional tillage + 50%
nutrient as FYM + 50% nutrient as inorganic fertilizer recorded
1383.33 kg/ha of cumbu grain yield.
From a study on evaluation of production
system for farmpond water utilization indicated that under all
the production systems with protective irrigation registered
higher cotton equivalent yield as compared to rainfed
situation. Among the different production systems, Ber with
supplemental irrigation recorded higher cotton equivalent yield
(2829 kg/ha) and net income (Rs. 29176 /ha) as compared to other
production systems. Among the crop components, Ber recorded
significantly higher cotton equivalent yield. Next to
Ber,Cotton + Blackgram intercropping system recorded higher seed
cotton yield. Ber crop with supplemental irrigation recorded
25% higher cotton equivalent yield as compared to the crop
without supplemental irrigation.
Cropping System:
Soil moisture estimation at 0 - 15, 15 –
30 cm depth indicated that during the initial growth period (up
to 30 days) of different crops in land use system, the annual
crops viz., Cotton + Blackgram intercropping system and
sunflower had utilized more soil moisture than Blackgram and
cenchrus grass. This was reflected in lower soil moisture
percentage recorded in Cotton +Blackgram and Sunflower sole
cropping system. Among the different land use systems Agri–Horticulture
system (Tamarind +Blackgram) recorded higher income than annual
crops.
Nutrient Management:
In the permanent manurial experiment with
jowar as test crop it was observed that the application of 20 kg
N / ha as urea + 20 kg N/ ha as FYM + 10 kg P/ha as SSP recorded
the highest plant height of 154 cm and earhead length of 29.1
cm. This treatment recorded the highest grain (2320 K/ha) and
straw yields (4690 kg/ha) followed by the treatment of
application of 20 kg N/ha as Urea + 20 kg N/ ha as OFR + 10 kg
P/ha as SSP (2290 & 4360 kg /ha of grain and straw yield
respectively). The organic C content of the Soil was the highest
in the treatment with the application of FYM at 5 t/ha. The
soil available N, P and K, at harvest followed marginal build up
due to their addition through external sources.
In the long term manurial experiment with
jowar as test crop revealed that the application of 50 per cent
of the recommended N as Urea (20 kg N / ha) and the rest as FYM
(20 kg N / ha) along with 20 kg P/ha recorded the highest plant
height of 169 cm and earhead length of 25.5 cm followed by the
application of same level and source of N without P. The
application of 50% of the recommended N as Urea (20 kg N/ha) and
the rest as FYM (20 kg N/ha) along with 20 kg P/ha recorded the
highest grain and straw yields (3050 and 5570 kg/ha
respectively). The application of FYM at 40 kg N/ha recorded the
highest maximum water holding capacity of 77.1 per cent and
organic carbon content of 0.39 per cent.
In an experiment to study the effect of
organics and inorganics on soil properties, nutrient
availability and yield of cotton-cumbu in a rainfed Typic
chromustert, Bajra (Variety ICMV.221) was raised as test crop.
The results showed that the application of 50 percent of the
recommended N (20 kg N/ha) as composted coir pith and the rest
as urea (20 kg N/ha) recorded the highest plant height (175 cm),
earhead length (25.8 cm) and the number of tillers per plant
(5.9). The same treatment recorded the highest grain yield
(2340 kg/ha) and straw yield (3350 kg/ha). Although the
application of composted coirpith showed a marked increase in
the soil organic carbon content, the available N, P and K
content of the soil at harvest was not significantly influenced
by the different treatments tried.
To study the effect of secondary and
micronutrient application on available nutrients, nutrients
uptake and yield of cotton a field experiment was conducted with
KC2 cotton. The results on seed cotton yield indicated that
spraying of 0.5% ZnSO4 + 1% MgSO4 + 1% DAP
at 45 and 60 DAS recorded the highest value (610 kg ha-1)
which was 37.2 per cent higher than NPK treated control. Soil
application of MgSO4 at 25 kg ha-1
registered seed cotton yield of 600 kg ha-1.
Application of 0.5% ZnSO4 and 1% MgSO4 +
1% DAP as foliar sprays at 45 and 60 DAS recorded higher plant
height of 47.2 cm, number of symbodial branches / plant of 12.8
and number of bolls/plant (12.5). This treatment registered
higher N uptake by cotton (4.78 kg/ha). Magnesium uptake and
Zinc uptake by cotton was more in the treatment which received
1% MgSO4 + 0.5% ZnSO4 FS at 45
and 60 DAS.
The results of an experiment on fertilizer
management of microwatershed for sustainable productivity
revealed that the application of GLM at 20 kg N ha-1
plus urea at 20kg N ha-1 recorded higher grain yield
of blackgram than all other treatments tried. The increase in
yield was 40 per cent over urea alone application at 40kg N ha-1.
Seed cotton yield was higher (580 kg ha-1) in the
same treatment. The organic carbon (0.49%) content was higher in
the same treatment. The maximum water holding capacity (68.7%)
was higher in FYM at 40 kg N ha-1 treatment. GLM at
20 kg N ha –1 + urea at 20 kg N ha –1
recorded the highest uptake of N (6.12 kg /ha) and P (1.90 kg
/ha). In case of intercrop blackgram, application of GLM at 20
kg N ha –1 + urea at 20 kg N ha-1 recorded
the highest uptake of N (13.5 kg ha-1) and P (2.74 kg
/ ha).
From a study conducted on integrated
nutrient management in sorghum + cowpea intercropping system, it
was observed that the grain equivalent yield of sorghum was
significantly higher in sorghum based cowpea intercropping
system than sole crop of sorghum. Application of 15 kg N
through compost and 20kg N as inorganic fertilizer (T6) recorded
higher grain yield in sole sorghum (1336 kg/ha) as well as
intercropping of sorghum with cowpea (1840 kg/ha). Next to
this, application of 15 kg N through compost and 10 kg N through
green leaf manure recorded higher grain yield. The treatment
T6, recorded 10.0 and 5.5 per cent increase in grain yield over
recommended dose of fertilizer application in sole sorghum as
well as intercropping system respectively. Similar trends were
observed in stover production also.
Application of 15kg N through compost and
20kg N as inorganic fertilizer (T6) recorded higher net return
and benefit cost ratio in sole crop of sorghum (Rs. 4871/ha) and
intercropping system (Rs.8833/ha) with a B:C ratio of 1.41 and
1.68 respectively. Higher net return of Rs. 2259/- and
Rs.3154/- per hectare was recorded by the sole crop of sorghum
and intercropping system respectively over the recommended dose
of fertilizer application which accounts for 86.5 and 55.5 per
cent increase in net return respectively. In rainfed vertisols,
to obtain higher production as well as net return it is
recommended to grow sorghum in intercropping system with cowpea
by fertilizing the crop with 15kg N through compost and 20 kg N
as inorganic fertilizer.
Crop Improvement:
In the evolution study of high yielding
blackgram varieties suitable for dry farming, in the MLT, the
culture KBG 98005 recorded higher yield of 607 kg/ha followed by
KBG 96026 (521 kg/ha), COBG 360 (521 kg/ha), VBG 66 (502 kg/ha)
and COBG 593 (416 kg/ha) registering 74.9, 50.0, 44.7 and 19.9%
increased yield over the check K1 (347 kg/ha).
The evolution study of suitable high
yielding greengram variety under dryfarming situation was
carried out. The results revealed that in the MLT, among the 8
entries tested, the culture KGG 96034 recorded the highest grain
yield of 770 kg/ha followed by KGG 96023 (753 kg/ha) and COGG
912 (750 kg/ha) registering 18.6,16.0 and 15.6% increased yield
over K1.
The results of the study on evaluation of
sunflower varieties for rainfed vertisols it was observed that
in multilocation trial, the entry TNHAPZ has recorded the
highest yield of 1574 kg/ha followed by TCSH (1435 kg/ha) and
modern (1296 kg/ha) registering 126.8, 106.7 and 86.7% increased
yield over the check K1 (694 kg/ha).
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