Kanwar Lal Sahrawat

• Ph.D., FNAAS
• Consultant at International Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics

Building soil fertility through Glyricidia plantations on bund.

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Associated red and black soils are common in the Dec-can plateau and the Indian peninsula. The red soils are formed due to the progressive landscape reduction process and black soils due to the aggradation processes ; and they are often spatially associated maintaining their typical characteristics over the years. These soils are subject to changes...

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and rainfall are generally positively related, whereas a negative relationship between soil inorganic carbon (SIC) and rainfall with some exception is observed. Land use pattern in black soil region (BSR) of the semi-arid tropical (SAT) India, consists of 80% under agriculture, followed by forest, horticulture, wasteland a...

Under the NAIP project 39 tribal villages in AndhraPradesh participatory soil fertility management trials were conducted. Widespread deficiencies of S,B, and Zn were observed in farmers'fields. Participatory trials with balanced fertilizar managment showed economically remunerative returns for the farmers.

INTRODUCTION Micronutrient malnutrition related iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies causes blindness and anemia in more than half of the women and preschool children in South and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Sorghum is cultivated and consumed as a staple food in these areas. Growing high-yielding cultivars with micronutrient fertilizatio...

Soils act as a major sink and source of atmospheric CO2 and therefore have a huge role to play in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) activity. The soils capture and store both organic (through photosynthesis of plants and then top soils as decomposed plant materials and roots) and inorganic carbon (through the formation of pedogenic calcium carbo...

Belgavi district in Karnataka is characterized by three contrasting agro-climatic zones viz., a relatively dry semi-arid northern dry zone (Zone-3) with low rainfall, a somewhat higher rainfall area termed transitional zone (Zone-8) nestling between the Western Ghats and Eastern Plains, and a heavy rainfall area comprising part of Western Ghats cal...

Soil carbon sequestration and strategies in relation to drought management, mitigation of climate change impacts, sustaining agriculture productivity and food security was discussed. Carbon balance in the experimental plot level and village level were presented in relation to climate resilience to agriculture production systems.

A review of field research conducted at the ICRISAT in collaboration with national partners to monitor the insecticide residues on food crops (rice, chickpea, maize, pigeon pea) and vegetables and the recent studies by other researchers in this field revealed the presence of residues of selected pesticides on crops. These include monocrotophos, chl...

This chapter focuses on soil fertility management issues and the need of soil nutrient mapping for informed decisions. The chapter establishes that for widespread adoption and use of soil testing for the diagnosis and management of plant nutrient deficiencies in the rainfed systems of the SAT regions, there is a need to strengthen the soil testing...

An alternate non-destructive rapid method for protein estimation in groundnut samples was investigated for routine analysis. For this, 928 diverse groundnut samples were scanned in near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS); and calibrations were developed, and the results for protein content were compared with those obtained by conventional dig...

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and rainfall are generally positively related, whereas a negative relationship between soil inorganic carbon (SIC) and rainfall with some exception is observed. Land use pattern in black soil region (BSR) of the semi-arid tropical (SAT) India, consists of 80% under agriculture, followed by forest, horticulture, wasteland a...

Soils in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) are subject to chemical degradation mostly due to climatic reasons which make the pedo-environment hostile to form calcium carbonate. This triggers an overall deterioration of soil properties affecting its physical and chemical parameters. Such soils require management interventions which may include chemical an...

Associated red and black soils are common in the Deccan plateau and the Indian peninsula. The red soils are formed due to the progressive landscape reduction process and black soils due to the aggradation processes; and they are often spatially associated maintaining their typical characteristics over the years. These soils are subject to changes d...

Most published research on soil degradation in general emphasizes the role of anthropogenic factors. Even among the natural soil degradation processes the regressive pedogenic processes that lead to the formation of CaCO3 and concomitant development of subsoil sodicity and the adverse effects of palygorskite on the soils of the semi-arid tropics (S...

Soil health diagnosis in nearly 100000 farmers’ fields under ‘Bhoochetana’ initiative in Karnataka showed widespread soil fertility degradation; and soil mapping-based fertilizer management was an effective entry-point intervention to take most farmers on-board to initiate the process of upgrading agriculture. Soils of the farmers’ fields showed lo...

The inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-based method provides the opportunity to determine phosphorus (P) along with other major, secondary, micro and trace elements in plant materials. This study was conducted to compare and evaluate the relative efficacy of the inductively coupled plasma-optical spectrometry (ICP-OES) method with that of colorimetri...

To determine and characterize the initial background concentrations of heavy metals, a total of 50 sediment samples were collected from the largest lake at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Patancheru, India. The finely ground sediment samples were digested using a microwave-assisted digestion method...

The soil-forming factors, especially climate, vegetation and topography, act on a range of rock formations and parent materials leading to the development of different kinds of soils. Through concerted efforts, soil datasets generated earlier are used to develop maps and soil information systems at different scales. Progress in basic and fundamenta...

In Indian semi-arid tropics (SAT) in general and central part i.e. Madhya Pradesh state specifically; there are large yield gaps in most of the rainfed crops between current farmers’ yields and achievable ones. Soil fertility related degradation due to deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients mainly sulphur, boron and zinc in addition to macron...

The need for analytical support in agricultural research and development has long been recognized, especially for soil fertility evaluation and management, assessing crop and food quality, and for selecting and breeding nutritious food staples. In addition, the demand for analytical research support in the general areas of agriculture interfacing w...

Iron (Fe) deficiency chlorosis in crops is common in high pH calcareous soils. Soil and plant testing is routinely used for diagnosing iron (Fe) deficiency chlorosis in crops, with mixed results. This paper presents an overview of the factors that influence soil and plant tissue testing results. It is clear that soil tests for Fe are dominantly inf...

Soil health diagnosis in nearly 100,000 farmers’ fields under ‘Bhoochetana’ initiative in Karnataka showed widespread soil degradation. Soil mapping-based fertilizer management was an effective entry-point intervention to take most farmers on-board to initiate the process of upgrading agriculture. Soils of the farmers’ fields showed low levels of m...

Legumes form symbiotic relationship with root-nodule, rhizobia. The nitrogen (N2) fixed by legumes is a renewable source and of great importance to agriculture. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) is constrained by multiple stresses and alleviating them would improve SNF contribution to agroecosystems. Genetic differences in adaptation tolerance to v...

Aims: As climate change related rainfall and temperature variability is being increasingly experienced in the SAT regions, we assessed climate change mitigation and adaptation potential of Conservation Agriculture (CA) by studying effects of minimum tillage (MT) and residue management practices on rain water use efficiency (RWUE), soil moisture, ru...

Although sweet sorghum is in focus as a promising multi-purpose crop in semi-arid tropical regions, information on optimum nitrogen (N) management remains rather limited. To determine and understand the N dynamics in sweet sorghum-soil ecosystem, we evaluated the N recovery of applied fertilizer in the Alfisol field during the 2009 and 2010 rainy s...

India ranks first in rainfed agriculture globally in both area (86 Mha) and the value of produce. Rainfed regions in India contribute substantially toward food grain production including 44% of rice, 87% of coarse cereals (sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), maize (Zea mays)), and 85% of food legumes, 72% of oilseeds, 65%...

The effects of application of domestic sewage water for over four decades on physical, chemical and biological properties of soils were studied at three sites in Gabbur, Mavanur and Katnur villages near Hubli city in North Karnataka, India. Long-term use of sewage irrigation improved soil physical properties in terms of decrease in bulk density and...

The effects of application of domestic sewage water for over four decades on physical, chemical and biological properties of soils were studied at three sites in Gabbur, Mavanur and Katnur villages near Hubli city in North Karnataka, India. Long-term use of sewage irrigation improved soil physical properties in terms of decrease in bulk density and...

To date, most studies on biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) in sorghum have been performed with plants grown in hydroponic systems. However, the current study was conducted to determine whether or not sorghum inhibits nitrification in fields of Alfisols, and clarify the mechanism that results in inhibition of soil nitrification in the field....

India ranks first in rainfed agriculture globally in both area (86 Mha) and the value of produce. Rainfed regions in India contribute substantially toward food grain production including 44% of rice, 87% of coarse cereals (sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), maize (Zea mays)), and 85% of food legumes, 72% of oilseeds, 65%...

India ranks first in rainfed agriculture globally in both area (86 Mha) and the value of produce. Rainfed regions in India contribute substantially toward food grain production including 44% of rice, 87% of coarse cereals (sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), maize (Zea mays)), and 85% of food legumes, 72% of oilseeds, 65%...

Soil fertility parameters viz., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), available macro-and micronutrients were determined in soil samples drawn at 300 m grid intervals from three micro-watersheds representing northern dry zone (zone-3), northern transition zone (zone-8) and hilly zone (zone-9) across a climatic gradient in Belgaum district of Karnataka....

Semi-arid tropical (SAT) soils cover approximately 11 million hectares (Mha) globally. Soils in SAT regions are prone to degradation if poorly managed, and approximately 38% of the developing countries' poor who depend on these soils for their livelihood are at risk of malnutrition. Agronomic practices that can improve soil quality, and can sustain...

Submerging soil sets in a series of changes that have important implications for fertility and its management in wetland rice. Wetland rice makes important contribution to global rice supply; and is often cited as an example of sustainable production system. We little realize that flooding soil is a powerful driver of the changes in fertility and n...

Investigation on the pesticide residues during 2006–2009 in various crops and natural resources (soil and water) in the study village (Kothapally, Telangana State (TS)) indicated the presence of a wide range of insecticidal residues. Pooled data of the 80 food crop and cotton samples, two rice grain samples (3 %) showed beta endosulfan residues, an...

Under National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project, a range of climate smart agricultural practices were evaluated with on-farm demonstrations during 2011-2013 in eight climatically vulnerable villages of Andhra Pradesh, India. Proven climate smart practices viz residue recycling, soil, water and nutrient management, affores...

In the semi-arid tropics (SAT), there exists large yield gaps (two- to four-fold) between current farmers’ yields and achievable yields. Apart from water shortages, soil degradation is responsible for the existing gaps and inefficient utilization of whatever scarce water resource is available. On-farm soil fertility testing across different states...

A study was conducted for comparative evaluation of atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for determining extractable zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) in sixty diverse soil samples having a wide range in pH and organic carbon (C). The results were signif...

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) operating in wavelength range of 350-2500 nm is emerging as a rapid and non-invasive approach for estimating soil nutrient content. The success of the DRS approach relies on the ability of the data mining algorithms to extract appropriate spectral features while accounting for non-linearity and complexity of t...

Meeting the food demands and ensuring nutritional security of the ever increasing global population in the face of degrading natural resource base and impending climate change is the biggest challenge of the twenty first century. The consequences of mineral/micronutrient deficiencies or the hidden hunger in the developing world are indeed alarming...

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The chapter covers frontier technologies for improved soil management towards productivity enhancement, sustainable natural resources and ecosystem services. Details include conservation agriculture both under rainfed and irrigated systems, use of nano-fertilizers for nutrient use efficiency, hydrogels for managing mid season droughts, biochar for...

Genetics of micronutrients and their relationships with grain yield and other traits have a direct bearing on devising effective strategies for breeding biofortified crop cultivars. A line × tester study of 196 hybrids and their 28 parental lines of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) showed large genetic variability for Fe and Zn densitie...

Climate variability is the major cause of in food production in the semi-arid tropical (SAT) regions of India leading to food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty. Although the total amount of rainfall in the SAT regions is adequate to meet the water requirements of the crops and cropping systems, its erratic distribution results in periods of exce...

Introducing watershed development program to the community has always been recognized as an important activity. This is done through what are called 'entry point activities' (EPA) in the parlance of watershed literature. It involves building the rapport with the community, strengthening and sustaining it through out the program and beyond. Knowledg...

Bound by the Himalaya in the north and the Craton in the south, the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) is one of the largest fluvial plains of the world. The IGP is monotonously flat with a spread of surface soils in hot arid conditions of Rajasthan in west to per-humid conditions in West Bengal. The soil-geomorphology of the IGP detailed during the last f...

This chapter discusses the research results and experiences gained in runoff harvesting and supplemental irrigation in the semiarid tropical (SAT) regions of India and Africa. Topics covered include: traditional tank irrigation in SAT India; assessment of adequate water availability in tanks at critical crop growth stages; optimum tank size and oth...

Red ferruginous (RF) soils of tropical Indian environments belong to Entisols, Inceptisols, Alfisols, Mollisols and Ultisols soil orders. The occurrence of Ultisols alongside acidic Alfisols and Mollisols in both zeolitic and non-zeolitic parent materials in humid tropical (HT) climatic environments, indicates that the soil diversity in India is la...

With environmental issues relating to heavy-metal contamination of natural resources becoming of increasing concern, there is an obvious need to have a method that can be used for routine analysis of a range of materials including soil, sediment, sewage sludge, plant, mineral and organic fertilizers, and other miscellaneous materials for heavy meta...

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a rapid and noninvasive assessment technique for several spectrally active soil properties (chromophores) such as sand, clay, organic C, and Fe contents. The approach is also used for estimating many spectrally inactive constituents (non-chromophores) based on the assumption of covariation between non-chrom...

Microbiota in the gut play essential roles in human health. Prebiotics are non-digestible complex carbohydrates that are fermented in the colon, yielding energy and short chain fatty acids, and selectively promote the growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillae in the gastro-intestinal tract. Fructans and inulin are the best-characterized plant preb...

With growing environmental and energy concerns, Jatropha plantations are promoted in degraded/waste lands for the biodiesel production. Nutrient rich non-edible deoiled seed cake, a by-product of Jatropha left out after oil extraction was evaluated at the ICRISAT centre at Patancheru, India as an environment friendly source of nutrients for rainy s...

Aims In Alfisols, potassium (K) deficiency limits productivity, as these soils are poor in K-bearing minerals such as mica. As nutrient management practices greatly influence K nutrition of crops especially in the longer term, we evaluated the effects of 27 (1978–2004) years of cropping fingermillet (Eleusine coracana G.) under different manure and...

Existing large crop yield gaps between farmers’ fields in rainfed areas and the achievable yields are abridged through integrated watershed management during 2002-2007, while improving farmers’ livelihoods also. In addition to water shortages, emerging widespread deficiencies of multiple micro- and secondary nutrients such as sulphur (S), boron (B)...

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the major determinant of soil quality, and it greatly influences global carbon cycling and climate change. This paper is a synthesis of the literature on soil carbon research in India, including soil organic and inorganic carbon stocks, in the form of thematic maps for national and regional level planning at bioclimatic...

In view of widespread deficiencies, a long-term experiment was started at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India in 2007 to identify economically efficient application strategy (full or 50% dose every or every second year) of sulphur (S) (30 kg ha−1), boron (B) (0.5 kg ha−1) and zinc (Zn) (10 kg ha−1...

Thirty-two diverse Jatropha curcas L. cultivars were analyzed for their oil content by the standard Soxhlet extraction method using hexane as solvent. The results were then compared with those obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The cultivars had a wide range in oil content, which ranged from 4.8 to 38.8% by the Soxhlet metho...

Soil health assessment of farmers’ fields in watershed villages in Medak district, Andhra Pradesh, India showed widespread deficiencies of sulfur (S), boron (B), and zinc (Zn) in addition to organic carbon and phosphorus (P). Participatory on-farm trials on soil test-based application of deficient Zn, B, and S along with nitrogen (N) and P during 2...

Background and aims Nitrification and denitrification are the two most important processes that contribute to greenhouse gas emission and inefficient use of nitrogen. Suppressing soil nitrification through the release of ni-trification inhibitors from roots is a plant function, and termed "Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI)". We report here...

Development o f pearl millet cultivars with high levels of grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content can make significant contribution to reducing widespread deficiencies of these micronutrients in populations heavily dependent on staple cereals for their dietary energy and nutritional requirements. It is imperative that breeding of such cultivars must...

Development of pearl millet cultivars with high levels of grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content can make significant contribution to reducing widespread deficiencies of these micronutrients in populations heavily dependent on staple cereals for their dietary energy and nutritional requirements. It is imperative that breeding of such cultivars must...

Rapid and effective methods are needed to analyze large numbers of grain samples for iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) to select cultivars that are denser in these minerals. This study was conducted for the comparative evaluation of ground and unground grain samples for determining total Fe and Zn in pearl millet and sorghum cultivars with a range in seed si...

Internal soil standards are used in an analytical laboratory as one of the tools for providing feedback on the quality of soil-testing service provided. The objective of this study is to provide results on the temporal variability in soil-test values of the internal soil standards used for soil organic carbon and extractable phosphorus (P), potassi...

Disclaimer: This is a version of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to authors and researchers we are providing this version of the accepted manuscript (AM). Copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof will be undertaken on this manuscript before final publication of the Version of Record (Vo...

The fertilizer additive products Nutrisphere and Avail use a coating of maleic-itaconic acid copolymer and have been marketed worldwide. It is claimed that the copolymer (trade name: Nutrisphere) enhances the efficiency of urea-N use by inhibiting urea hydrolysis and reducing ammonia (NH3) volatilization from urea. It is also claimed that the same...

India’s growing self-sufficiency in food production and food stocks since independence suggest that soils have the capacity to produce. Therefore, a review of Indian soils and their capacity to sequester carbon; and the factors favouring C sequestration under different land uses is in order. Several researchers, especially those in The National Bur...

Widespread multinutrient deficiencies in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) are among major factors for large gaps between farmers’ current crop yields and potential yields. In this study, we adopted stratified soil sampling method to assess soil fertility-related constraints in farmers’ fields in eight districts of Andhra Pradesh in the semi-arid tropics...

The fertilizer additive products Nutrisphere and Avail use a coating of maleic–itaconic acid copolymer and have been marketed worldwide. It is claimed that the copolymer (trade name: Nutrisphere) enhances the efficiency of urea-N use by inhibiting urea hydrolysis and reducing ammonia (NH 3) volatilization from urea. It is also claimed that the same...