Impact of Dryland Technology on Crop Yield in Nara-Dada Watershed of Submontanous Tracts of Punjab

Rainfed agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the people in the Kandi region of Punjab. Due to low and erratic rainfall, poor fertility status of the soils and non-adoption of improved land, water and crop management practices, productivity levels of different crops in rainfed areas are not encouraging. Efforts were made to test the important components of dryland agriculture technology against traditional practices being followed by the farmers of village Dada (Nara-Dada watershed) as a part of Operational Research Project (ORP). Overall increase in crop production by use of improved seed over local seed of different crops grown ranged between 15–40%. Seed treatment (wheat) and wider row spacing (wheat and lentil) resulted in a definite and consistent increase in yield as compared to untreated seed and closer spacing. respectively. Fertilizer and weed management were an important aspect for increasing overall crop productivity. Intercropping of raya with rainfed rabi crops viz. wheat, lentil and chickpea increased the crop yield by 10–25%, clearly elucidating the beneficial advantage of intercropping under rainfed conditions. Sowing across the slope of the land tested as soil and moisture conservation measure increased the grain yield of maize and wheat by 22.0 and 41.2%. respectively over along the slope (round about) sowing. Etespite the fluctuations in the rainfall over the five years of the study, improved crop production technologies increased overall crop productivity by 35–72% in comparison to traditional practices. Highest net return was realized from groundnut and chickpea among kharif and rabi crops, respectively.