Optimizing intensive cereal-based cropping systems addressing current and future drivers of agricultural change in the northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India

Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

Volumn 177, Issue , 2013, Pages 85-97

  Gathala, Mahesh K ^a,e   Kumar, Virender ^a,b   Sharma, P C ^c   Saharawat, Yashpal S ^a,d   Jat, H S ^c   Singh, Mainpal ^c   Kumar, Amit ^c   Jat, M L ^b   Humphreys, E ^f   Sharma, D K ^c   Sharma, Sheetal ^a   Ladha, J K ^a  

^a NASC Complex   (India)

^b INTERNATIONAL MAIZE AND WHEAT IMPROVEMENT CENTER   (India)

^c CENTRAL SOIL SALINITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE   (India)

^d INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE   (India)

^e International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center   (Bangladesh)

^f INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE   (Philippines)

Author keywords

Best management practices; Conservation agriculture; Cropping system; Indo Gangetic Plains; Rice; Wheat

Indexed keywords

AGRICULTURAL CHANGE; AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT; BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE; CONSERVATION TILLAGE; COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS; CROPPING PRACTICE; IRRIGATION; MAIZE; OPTIMIZATION; RESOURCE SCARCITY; RICE; SUSTAINABILITY; WATER USE; WHEAT; ZERO TILLAGE;

GANGETIC PLAIN; INDIA;

EID: 84880374275     PISSN: 01678809     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2013.06.002     Document Type: Article

References (38)

1. Balasubramanian V., Adhya T.K., Ladha J.K. Enhancing eco-efficiency in the intensive cereal-based systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Issues in Tropical Agriculture Eco-Efficiency: From Vision to Reality 2012, CIAT Publication, Cali, CO.
2. Bouyoucos G.J. Hydrometer method improved for making particle size analysis of soils. Agron. J. 1962, 54:464-465.
3. Cassman K.G. Ecological intensification of cereal production systems: yield potential, soil quality, and precision agriculture. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 1999, 96:5952-5959.
4. Dobermann A., Fairhurst T.H. Rice straw management. Better crops. International 2002, 16(Sp. Supp. May):7-9. http://www.ipni.net/ppiweb/bcropint.nsf/.
5. Economic Survey of India Union budget and economic survey 2012, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, New Delhi, Available at, (accessed in November 2011; 6 Aug. 2012). http://indiabudget.nic.in/.
6. Erenstein O., Laxmi V. Zero tillage impacts in India's rice-wheat systems: a review. Soil Tillage Res. 2008, 100:1-14.
7. Gajri P.R., Arora V.K., Parihar S.S. Tillage and edaphic environment. Tillage for Sustainable Cropping 2002, 23-62. Haworth Press, New York.
8. Gathala M.K., Ladha J.K., Kumar V., Saharawat Y.S., Kumar V., Sharma P.K., Sharma S., Pathak H. Tillage and crop establishment affects sustainability of South Asian rice-wheat system. Agron. J. 2011, 103:961-971.
9. Gathala M.K., Ladha J.K., Saharawat Y.S., Kumar V., Kumar V., Sharma P.K. Effect of tillage and crop establishment methods on physical properties of a medium-textured soil under a seven-year rice-wheat rotation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2011, 75:1851-1862.
10. Gupta P.K., Sahai S., Singh N., Dixit C.K., Singh D.P., Sharma C., Tiwari M.K., Gupta R.K., Garg S.C. Residue burning in rice-wheat cropping system: causes and implications. Curr. Sci. 2004, 87:1713-1717.
11. Harrington L.W., Hobbs P.H. The Rice-Wheat Consortium and the Asian Development Bank: a history. Integrated Crop and Resource Management in the Rice-Wheat System of South Asia 2009, 3-64. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines. J.K. Ladha, Y. Singh, O. Erenstein, B. Hardy (Eds.).
12. Humphreys E., Kukal S.S., Christen E.W., Hira G.S., Singh B., Yadav S., Sharma R.K. Halting the ground water decline in north-west India: which crop technologies will be winners?. Adv. Agron. 2010, 109:155-217.
13. Jat M.L., Gathala M.K., Ladha J.K., Saharawat Y.S., Jat A.S., Kumar V., Sharma S.K., Kumar V., Gupta R. Evaluation of precision land leveling and double zero-till systems in the rice-wheat rotation: water use productivity, profitability and soil physical properties. Soil Tillage Res. 2009, 105:112-121.
14. Kamboj B.R., Kumar A., Bishnoi D.K., Singla K., Kumar V., Jat M.L., Chaudhary N., Jat H.S., Gosain D.K., Khippal A., Garg R., Lathwal O.P., Goyal S.P., Goyal N.K., Yadav A., Malik D.S., Mishra A., Bhatia R. Direct Seeded Rice Technology in Western Indo-Gangetic Plains of India: CSISA Experiences 2012, 16. CSISA, IRRI and CIMMYT.
15. Kumar V., Ladha J.K. Direct seeding of rice: recent developments and future research needs. Adv. Agron. 2011, 111:297-313.
16. Kumar V., Singh S., Chhokar R.S., Malik R.K., Brainard D.C., Ladha J.K. Weed management strategies to reduce herbicide use in zero-till rice-wheat cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Weed Technol. 2013, 27:241-254.
17. Kumari M., Chakraborty D., Gathala M.K., Pathak H., Dwivedi B.S., Tomar R.K. Soil aggregation and associated organic carbon fractions as affected by tillage in a rice-wheat rotation in North India. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2011, 75:562-567.
18. Kumar V., Saharawat Y.S., Gathala M.K., Jat A.S., Singh S.K., Choudhary N., Jat M.L. Effect of different tillage and seeding methods on energy use efficiency and productivity of wheat in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Field Crop Res. 2013, 142:1-8.
19. Ladha J.K., Kumar V., Alam M.M., Sharma S., Gathala M., Chandana P., Saharawat Y.S., Balasubramanian V. Integrating crop and resource management technologies for enhanced productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the rice-wheat system in South Asia. Integrated Crop and Resource Management in the Rice-Wheat System of South Asia 2009, 69-108. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines. J.K. Ladha, Y. Singh, O. Erenstein, B. Hardy (Eds.).
20. Ladha J.K., Pathak H., Padre A.T., Dave D., Gupta R.K. Productivity trends in intensive rice-wheat cropping systems in Asia. Improving the Productivity and Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Systems: Issues and Impacts. ASA Spec. Publ. 65 2003, 45-76. ASA, CSSA, and SSA, Madison, WI. J.K. Ladha (Ed.).
21. Minimum Wage act, 1948. Available at (assessed in June 2012; verified 4 Aug. 2012). Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, New Delhi. http://labour.nic.in/.
22. Mosier A.R., Duxbury J.M., Freney J.R., Heinemeyer O., Minami K., Johnson D.E. Mitigating agricultural emissions of methane. Climatic Change 1998, 40:39-80.
23. Pathak H., Ladha J.K., Aggarwal P.K., Peng S., Das S., Singh Y., Singh B., Kamra S.K., Mishra B., Sastri A.S.R.A.S., Aggarwal H.P., Das D.K., Gupta R.K. Trends of climatic potential and on-farm yields of rice and wheat in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Field Crops Res. 2003, 80:223-234.
24. Saharawat Y.S., Singh B., Malik R.K., Ladha J.K., Gathala M., Jat M.L., Kumar V. Evaluation of alternative tillage and crop establishment methods in a rice-wheat rotation in north-western IGP. Field Crops Res. 2010, 116:260-267.
25. Sanchez P.A. Puddling tropical rice soils: 2. Effects of water losses. Soil Sci. 1973, 115:303-308.
26. SAS Institute SAS/STAT User's Guide. Version 8-1 2001, SAS Inst., Cary, NC.
27. Sharma P.K., Ladha J.K., Bhushan L. Soil physical effects of puddling in the rice-wheat cropping system. Improving the Productivity and Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Systems: Issues and Impacts. ASA Spec. Publ. 65 2003, 97-114. ASA, CSSA, and SSA, Madison, WI. J.K. Ladha (Ed.).
28. Sidhu H.S., Singh M., Humphreys E., Singh Y., Singh B., Dhillon S.S., Blackwell J., Bector V., Singh M., Singh S. The Happy Seeder enables direct drilling of wheat into rice stubble. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 2007, 47:844-854.
29. Sidhu H.S., Singh M., Blackwell J., Humphreys E., Bector V., Singh Y., Singh M., Singh S. Development of happy sseder for direct drilling into combine harvested rice. Permanent bed and rice residue management for R-W systems in the IGP Proceedings of a workshop held in Ludhiana; India 2008, 159-170. E. Humphreys, C. Roth (Eds.).
30. Singh Y., Singh B., Ladha J.K., Khind C.S., Khera T.S., Bueno C.S. Effects of residue decomposition on productivity and soil fertility in rice-wheat rotation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2004, 68:854-864.
31. Singh Y., Singh B., Timsina J. Crop residue management for nutrient cycling and improving soil productivity in rice-based cropping systems in the tropics. Adv. Agron. 2005, 85:269-407.
32. Singh B., Humphreys E., Eberbach P.L., Katupitiya A., Singh Y., Kukal S.S. Growth, yield and water productivity of zero till wheat as affected by rice straw mulch and irrigation schedule. Field Crops Res. 2011, 121:209-225.
33. Singh B., Gaydon D.S., Humphreys E., Eberbach P.L. The effects of mulch and irrigation management on wheat in Punjab, India. Evaluation of the APSIM Model. Field Crops Res. 2011, 124:1-13.
34. Thuy N.H., Shan Y., Singh B., Wang K., Cai Z., Singh Y., Buresh R.J. Nitrogen supply in rice-based cropping systems as affected by crop residue management. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2008, 72:514-523.
35. Timsina J., Godwin D., Humphreys E., Singh Y., Singh B., Kukal S.S., Smith D. Evaluation of options for increasing yield and water productivity of wheat in Punjab, India using the DSSAT-CSM-CERES-wheat model. Agric. Water Manage. 2008, 95:1099-1110.
36. Verhulst N., Sayre K.D., Vargas M., Crossa J., Deckers J., Raes D. Wheat yield and tillage-straw management system×year interaction explained by climatic co-variables for an irrigated bed planting system in northwestern Mexico. Field Crops Res. 2011, 124:347-356.
37. Yadav S., Gill G., Humphreys E., Kukal S.S., Walia U.S. Effect of water management on dry seeded and puddled transplanted rice, Part 1. Crop performance. Field Crops Res. 2011, 120:112-122.
38. Yadav S., Humphreys E., Gill G., Kukal S.S., Rangarajan R. Effect of water management on dry seeded and puddled transplanted rice, Part 2. Water balance and water productivity. Field Crops Res. 2011, 120:123-132.