Neeraj Kumar’s scientific contributions

In eastern Uttar Pradesh, the traditional rice-wheat cropping sequence has been identified as a factor contributing to unsustainable agricultural practices, resulting in low productivity and returns for small and marginal farmers. Crop diversification presents a viable solution to enhance productivity and ensure food and nutritional security for these farmers. A field experiment conducted under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) at Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, U.P., India, from 2019-20 to 2021-22, evaluated the growth, yield attributes, and production potential of rice under ten rice-based cropping systems under irrigated medium-land conditions. The systems assessed included rice-wheat-fallow, rice-wheat-greengram, rice-frenchbean-greengram, rice-gram-cowpea, rice-mustard-greengram, rice-linseed-blackgram, rice-berseem-sudanchari, rice-oat-maize + cowpea, rice-cauliflower-okra, and rice-potato-cowpea (vegetable). The legume-based systems significantly enhanced plant height, which was attributed to the higher nitrogen availability from the decomposition of legume residues. Legume-based systems showed an increase in the number of leaves per hill and LAI, reflecting improved vegetative growth. Effective tiller production was higher in these systems, which contributed to superior panicle length, grain count, and grain weight. Among these systems, rice-frenchbean-greengram and rice-gram-greengram consistently outperformed the conventional system in terms of yield attributes and the yield of grain and straw. The integration of legume crops into rice-based sequences can improve soil fertility, promote better vegetative growth, and enhance yield, thereby contributing to more sustainable and productive rice cultivation.

This study evaluates the impact of organic, inorganic, and biofertilizers on soil characteristics and potato tuber yield in the variety Kufri Ashoka. The experiment was conducted at the Vegetable Research Farm of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, using treatments involving different combinations of fertilizers, including recommended doses of inorganic nutrients (RDF), farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, Azotobacter, and Phosphobacteria. Key findings demonstrated that RDF treatment (150:100:120 kg N:P2O5 ha⁻¹) produced the highest tuber yield (249.2 q ha⁻¹), significantly outperforming all other treatments. However, the organic treatment T4, which included compost, crop residue, biofertilizers, and FYM, also yielded a substantial 237.1 q ha⁻¹, with improvements in soil health attributes like increased organic carbon (3.6 g kg⁻¹) and reduced pH (7.92) and electrical conductivity (0.22 dSm⁻¹). Results indicated that the integration of organic and biofertilizers led to moderate yield gains compared to RDF but significantly enhanced soil properties, contributing to long-term soil health. Organic treatments promoted improved microbial activity and soil structure, essential for sustainable agriculture. This study highlights the effectiveness of integrated nutrient management, where combining organic and biofertilizers with inorganic nutrients can enhance crop yields while maintaining soil fertility and reducing the negative environmental impact associated with exclusive inorganic fertilizer use.

Finding sustainable land management techniques is urgently needed to balance food supply with the growing global population. Nonetheless, the battle to attain food security needs to be waged with consideration for the environment in which life exists and the soil in which crops are cultivated. Conservation agriculture (CA), is the practice of farming in a way that causes the least amount of environmental harm. It is widely supported globally. The primary goal of conservation tillage (CT) is to protect the environment, plant development, and soil health. By minimising soil disturbance, these techniques protect soil structure and stop erosion. CT increases the amount of organic matter in the soil by leaving crop leftovers there, which promotes microbial activity and nutrient cycling. This improves the physico-chemical and biological activity of the soil, which helps to improve soil health and production. Beyond just improving soil health, CT also promotes greater agricultural sustainability and increases resistance to the effects of climate change. Additionally, CT lowers the demand for machinery and fuel, saving farmers money and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on silty loam soil during 2016–17 and 2017–18 to study the productivity and profitability of rice (Oryza sativa L.) influenced by customized fertilizers in rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment comprised of 6 nutrient management practices, viz. T1, control; T2, recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF); T3, Soil test-based recommendation (STR); T4, Indo-Gulf customized fertilizer; T5, TCL customized fertilizer and T6, Farmer’s practice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 4 replications. Results revealed that soil test-based recommendation showed significantly higher grain yield (4.88 t/ha), straw yield (7.53 t/ha) of rice, maximum number of effective tillers (438.6/m2), higher length of panicle (25.05 cm), maximum number of grains/panicles (135.10) and test weight (23.81g) over farmer’s practice and RDF, while it was at par with TCL customized fertilizer and Indo-Gulf customized fertilizer. The higher buildup of organic soil carbon (0.43%) and available N (174.11 kg/ha), P (18.98 kg/ha), S (14.88 ppm), DTPA-Zn (0.65 ppm) and B (0.55 ppm) in was maintained or slightly increased in soil test-based recommendation and customized fertilizers applied plots. While higher availability of K (259.80 kg/ha) was found in RDF. The higher net returns (32.58 × 103 `/ha) per rupee investment and B:C ratio (0.82) was also recorded in Soil test-based recommendation followed by Indo-Gulf customized fertilizer and TCL customized fertilizer.

The field experiments conducted at the Student's Instructional Farm, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, during the rabi season of 2021-22 aimed to investigate the impact of phosphorus and zinc on both yield and quality parameters of chickpea. Employing a factorial randomized block design with 16 treatment combinations and three replications, various combinations of phosphorus and zinc were tested, using the chickpea cultivar RVG-203 and following prescribed agricultural techniques. The most promising results were observed in treatment T 15 [P 90 Zn 6 ], which yielded the highest grain yield (18.65 q ha-1) and straw yield (21.86 q ha-1). Conversely, treatment T 0 [P 0 Zn 0 ] exhibited the lowest grain yield (13.24 q ha-1) and straw yield (17.92 qha-1). Furthermore, nutrient content analysis showcased that treatment T 15 [P 90 Zn 6 ] boasted maximum values for grain nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and zinc (Zn) content at 3.35%, 0.65%, 0.65%, and 0.27 mg kg-1 , respectively. In contrast, treatment T 0 [P 0 Zn 0 ] displayed the minimum values in these parameters at 3.13%, 0.46%, 0.53%, and 0.20 mg kg-1 , respectively. Similar trends were observed in the nutrient content of straw. Nutrient uptake analysis further emphasized the superiority of treatment T 15 [P 90 Zn 6 ], recording maximum values for grain nitrogen (63.15 kg ha-1), phosphorus (12.25 kg ha-1), potassium (12.25 kg ha-1), and zinc (49.91 g ha-1), as well as in straw nitrogen (33.16 kg ha-1), phosphorus (7.47 kg ha-1), potassium (43.66 kg ha-1), and zinc (52.27 g ha-1). Conversely, treatment T 0 [P 0 Zn 0 ] exhibited the lowest nutrient uptake for both grain and straw. In conclusion, the comprehensive analysis of treatment combinations demonstrated that the judicious application of phosphorus and zinc, as exemplified by treatment T 15 [P 90 Zn 6 ], significantly enhances chickpea yield and quality parameters, emphasizing the importance of balanced nutrient management for optimal agricultural productivity.

Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) have gained prominence as a holistic approach to address the challenges of sustainability and productivity in modern agriculture. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted aspects of IFS, elucidating its principles, benefits, and challenges. It examines the synergistic integration of crop, livestock, and aquaculture components within the farming system to maximize resource utilization, improve resilience, and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Through a critical analysis of current research and case studies, this review highlights the socio-economic and environmental advantages of adopting IFS. Furthermore, it discusses the various subcomponents, management strategies, and technological advancements that contribute to the success of IFS. By outlining the key factors driving the adoption of IFS and its potential to revolutionize agriculture, this review provides valuable insights into the future of sustainable and productive farming systems.

Millions of people all over the world rely heavily on agriculture, which provides food to nearly two-thirds of the population. On the other hand, the rate of population growth in the world has been concerning for the past two to three decades. Hence, there is pressure on the agricultural sector to increase food production at this speed. Furthermore, there are fewer natural resources available due to their indiscriminate devastation. This emphasizes the necessity for the development and widespread implementation of better conservation technology. The agricultural technologies that encourage conservation are the most beneficial for maintaining food production and resource conservation. Modern intensive agriculture systems are extremely input-sensitive due to the uneven depletion of various natural resources, and their absence impacts many regions of the world. Along with improving the physical, chemical, and biological qualities of the soil, crop residue management is helpful in preventing the soil surface from losing nutrients.

An experiment was conducted at Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, from 2018–19 to 2020–21. The operational area of the IFS model is 1.01 ha. The productivity of various farm enterprises in terms of rice grain yield equivalent (RGEY t/ha/annum). On an average, system productivity of crop unit (10.45 t/yr), dairy unit (3.44 t/yr), horticulture unit (1.22 t/yr), Fish unit (2.95 t/yr) and Vermicompost (0.56 t/yr) was recorded in terms of rice grain equivalent yield, respectively. The economics showed that Rs. 232193 was obtained as total net return against the expenditure of Rs. 210405. A progressive increase in benefit cost ratio was observed due to integration of various components of farming system. The maximum benefit cost ratio (3.02) was obtained from vermicompost component followed by fish unit (2.12), while minimum B: C ratio (0.42) was recorded from dairy enterprises. The total annual man-days (489/year) were generated out of various component in IFS model.

Monocropping in the Eastern Gangetic Plains poses serious challenges, including declining farm profits, soil health susceptibility to climate change, and heightened concerns about food insecurity, rendering the agricultural production system unsustainable. To address these issues, a two-year study was conducted from 2019 to 2021 at the Agronomy Farm of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Ten different cropping sequences were examined using a randomized block design replicated thrice, revealing system production efficiencies varies under diverse cropping sequences. Notably, the rice-potato-cowpea cropping system exhibited increased system productivity and profitability compared to the conventional rice-wheat cropping system. The introduction of diversified crops, specifically in the form of rice-frenchbean-green gram, significantly enhanced soil organic carbon. Moreover, variations in available macro-nutrients were observed across various rice-based cropping systems relative to the conventional rice-wheat system. Therefore, the adoption of vegetables and legumes as diversified crops are viable options for enhancing productivity, profitability and soil health in the EGPs.