Vol. 11, Special Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Shivaraj Balooragi, HG Ashoka, K Devaraja, MN Thimmegowda and Murukannappa

Abstract:
An experiment was conducted during the Kharif season 2021 to evaluate the effect of vegetative barriers namely Nase grass (Pennisetum hohenackeri) and Khus grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) on runoff, soil moisture and crop productivity at the All India Coordinated Research Project on Dry land Agriculture (AICRPDA), University of Agricultural Sciences, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, Bengaluru. The vegetative barriers were grown at the centre of each plot across the slope as an inter terrace management along with the conservation furrows. During kharif season pigeon pea crop was grown in all the plots with conservation furrow. The runoff was significantly reduced under the vegetative barriers as compared with control (without vegetative barrier). Among the two different vegetative barriers, Nase grass (Pennisetum hohenackeri) was found to be most effective in controlling runoff and conserving soil moisture. The average runoff generated through the Nase grass and Khus grass was 8.34% and 10.57% respectively, than the control of 12.34%. Similarly, the highest moisture was conserved at Nase grass followed by Khus grass and control was found to be 15.28% and 13.86% and 12.08% at 30 cm depth respectively. During kharif season, among two different vegetative barriers, Nase grass proved best followed by Khus grass and control in terms of yield and economics of Pigeon pea. The yield of Pigeon pea in Nase grass was found to be higher (1550 kg ha^-1) as compared to Khus grass (1435 kg ha^-1) and control treatment (1256 kg ha^-1).