U. P. Shahi

Bio: U. P. Shahi is an academic researcher from Dr Emilio B Espinosa Sr Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nutrient management & Loam. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 24 publications receiving 56 citations.

Effect of precision land leveling and permanent raised bed planting on soil properties, input use efficiency, productivity and profitability under maize (Zea mays) - wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system.

Abstract: Precision land leveling with permanent raised bed planting with recommended dose of NPK can be used to improve crop yield,water and nutrient use efficiency over the existing traditional land leveling with flat beds planting with recommended dose of NPK practices The objective of present study was to establish an understanding of maize (Zea mays L) -wheat (Triticum aestivum L) rotation yield and input use efficiency can be improved and how land leveling and crop establishment practices can be modified to be more efficient in water use through precision conservation crop management techniques A farmers participatory field experiment was conducted during 2009- 2011 in the jurisdiction of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, UP Multi crop planter with inclined plate seed metering device machine were given to the farmers and crops were sown on permanent raised beds in maize-wheat cropping systemThe data collected from the farmers participatory field experiment showed that there was about 204% (2958 mm/ha for wide beds, i e 107 cm furrow centre gap) water saving and about 165% (3103 mm/ha for narrow beds, i e 37 cm furrow centre gap) with grain yield increase about 135% (513 and 444 tonnes/ha) for wheat crop and 118% (433 and 382 tonnes/ha) for maize crop with precision land leveling raised bed planting compared to traditional land leveling with flat beds planting The agronomic efficiency (AE) of N (234 and 304 kg grain/kg N for maize and wheat) and uptake of N, P and K (10385, 256 and 1107 kg/ha for maize and 11295, 1949 and 11296 kg/ha for wheat) were significantly improved under precision land leveling with raised bed planting technique compared to other practices

Soil fertility status in some soils of Muzaffarnagar District of Uttar Pradesh, India, along with Ganga canal command area

Abstract: Surface and subsurface soil samples of Muzaffarnagar district were collected to characterize their chemical properties and accordingly to develop optimum land use plan to realize maximum agricultural productivity. The pH value of study area varied from 6.02 to 8.39 and 6.35 to 8.50 for surface and sub surface, respectively, electrical conductivity from 0.069 to 0.390 and 0.073 to 1.10 dSm-1, organic matter content 7.241 to 15.221 and 3.695 to 10.179 g kg-1, available nitrogen (N) 131.53 to 348.97 and 99.32 to 217.44 kg ha-1, Phosphorus (P) 15.67 to 52.61 and 11.17 to 45.40 P2O5 kg ha-1, potassium (K) 79.16 to 436.8 and 47.04 to 399.84 K2O kg ha-1for surface (0-15 cm ) and subsurface soil (15-30 cm). Cationic micronutrients Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn varied from 1.636 to 6.164, 1.024 to 4.282, 0.672 to 5.802 and 0.332 to 2.652, and 113.13 to 11.232, 10.33 to 79.326, 10.272 to 38.572 and 29.578 to 77.882 mg kg-1 in surface (0 -15 cm) and subsurface soil (15-30 cm) respectively. As per soil nutrient index (SNI), the soils of study area were found in low fertility category for nitrogen and medium with respect to phosphorus and potassium. A positive and significant correlation of NPK and micronutrients was found with organic matter content while significant and negative correlations exist between micronutrients and soil pH. Key word: Soil fertility, organic matter, NPK, micronutrients, surface soil, soil nutrient index.

Assessment of No- Tillage and Direct Seeding Technologies in rice-wheat Rotation for saving of water and labour in Western IGP

Abstract: Resource conserving technologies (RCTs) with double no-till practices represents a major shift in production techniques for attaining optimal productivity, profitability and water use in rice-wheat system in Indo-Gangetic plains. Conventional tillage and crop establishment methods such as puddled transplanting in the ricewheat (Oryza sativa L-Triticum aestivum L.) system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) require a large amount of water and labor, both of which are increasingly becoming scarce and expensive. We attempted to evaluate alternatives that would require smaller amounts of these two inputs. A field experiment was conducted in the Western IGP for 2 years to evaluate various tillage and crop establishment systems for their efficiency in labor, water, and energy use and economic profitability. The soil physical properties (bulk density, mean weight diameter of aggregates and infiltration rate) improved significantly compared to puddled transplanted rice-conventional till wheat system. The wide beds and double no-till with flat layouts in rice-wheat system is under evaluation in different scenario of soil, climate, crop cultivars and seeding/crop establishment techniques (direct seeding, transplanting) and showed non consistent results. Systematic information on various aspects of narrow/wide beds is lacking. The productivity of rice with wide beds was at par compared to reduced tillage transplanted rice layouts but, the wheat productivity was reverse as it was highest under wide beds. The RW system productivity was highest with wide raised beds does differ significantly with other tillage and crop establishment techniques except with mulch crop establishment techniques. The water productivity of both rice and wheat was markedly improved with wide beds compared to other tillage and crop establishment techniques. Under research managed trials (rice on double no- till flat) with basmati rice, the profitability was maximum with ZTDSR (US $ 505 ha−1) and was least with direct seeded on narrow raised beds(US$305 ha−1). The study showed that the conventional practice of puddled transplanting could be replaced with no-tillage-based crop establishment methods to save water and labor. However, the occurrence and distribution of rainfall during the cropping season had considerable influence on the savings in irrigation water.

Relationship between compaction levels (bulk density) and chemical properties of different textured soil

Abstract: The investigation entitled “Study of relationship between compaction level (bulk density) and chemical properties of different textured soil” was carried out using various research materials and analytical techniques during 2017-18 at department laboratory of Soil Science at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, UP, India. Results of study reveals that levels of compaction does not affects pH and EC significantly however soil OC was affected significantly. More impact was found in organic carbon as compare to pH and EC. Effect of compaction on amount of OC in different textured soil indicates that more organic carbon was found in sandy clay loam soil followed by sandy loam and minimum in loamy sand at same degree of compaction. A strong negative correlation of bulk density with pH (r = - 0.912, -0.943 and -0.943) EC (r = - 0.988, -0.991 and -0.992) and OC% (r = - 0.993, -0.985 and -0.989) for loamy sand, sandy loam and sandy clay loam soil, respectively was observed. The available macro nutrients (N, P and K) of soil decreased significantly with an increase in the level of compaction. A strong negative correlation of bulk density with available N (r = - 0.993, -0.995 and -0.992), available P (r = -0.985, -0.983 and -0.980) and available K (r = -0.925, -0.979 and -0.984) for loamy sand, sandy loam and sandy clay loam soil, respectively was found. Unlike available macro nutrient, the micro nutrient of soil also decreased with an increase in the level of compaction. A strong negative correlation between bulk density and available micronutrients Zinc r = - 0.925, -0.944 and -0.929 and Iron r = -0.981, -0.974 and -0.931 for loamy sand, sandy loam and sandy clay loam soil, respectively was also recorded.

Relation of tumor size, lymph node status, and survival in 24,740 breast cancer cases

Abstract: Two of the most important prognostic indicators for breast cancer are tumor size and extent of axillary lymph node involvement. Data on 24,740 cases recorded in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute were used to evaluate the breast cancer survival experience in a representative sample of women from the United States. Actuarial (life table) methods were used to investigate the 5-year relative survival rates in cases with known operative/pathologic axillary lymph node status and primary tumor diameter. Survival rates varied from 45.5% for tumor diameters equal to or greater than 5 cm with positive axillary nodes to 96.3% for tumors less than 2 cm and with no involved nodes. The relation between tumor size and lymph node status was investigated in detail. Tumor diameter and lymph node status were found to act as independent but additive prognostic indicators. As tumor size increased, survival decreased regardless of lymph node status; and as lymph node involvement increased, survival status also decreased regardless of tumor size. A linear relation was found between tumor diameter and the percent of cases with positive lymph node involvement. The results of our analyses suggest that disease progression to distant sites does not occur exclusively via the axillary lymph nodes, but rather that lymph node status serves as an indicator of the tumor's ability to spread.

Remote Sensing and Cropping Practices: A Review

Abstract: For agronomic, environmental, and economic reasons, the need for spatialized information about agricultural practices is expected to rapidly increase. In this context, we reviewed the literature on remote sensing for mapping cropping practices. The reviewed studies were grouped into three categories of practices: crop succession (crop rotation and fallowing), cropping pattern (single tree crop planting pattern, sequential cropping, and intercropping/agroforestry), and cropping techniques (irrigation, soil tillage, harvest and post-harvest practices, crop varieties, and agro-ecological infrastructures). We observed that the majority of the studies were exploratory investigations, tested on a local scale with a high dependence on ground data, and used only one type of remote sensing sensor. Furthermore, to be correctly implemented, most of the methods relied heavily on local knowledge on the management practices, the environment, and the biological material. These limitations point to future research directions, such as the use of land stratification, multi-sensor data combination, and expert knowledge-driven methods. Finally, the new spatial technologies, and particularly the Sentinel constellation, are expected to improve the monitoring of cropping practices in the challenging context of food security and better management of agro-environmental issues.

Integrated Nutrient Management

Abstract: The field experiment was conducted during 2007-2008 at the Experimental Farm of School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development, Medziphema Campus, Nagaland University, Nagaland to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality of capsicum annum cv. California Wonder. The treatments supplementing nutrients through 100% organic manures were significantly inferior in producing fruit yield (151.73-182.96 q ha-1) than organic manures applied with chemical fertilizers (189.38-232.59 q ha-1). The maximum fruit yield (232.59 q ha-1) was recorded from the treatment of 50% NPK +50% poultry manure. N, P and K content in plants and fruits significantly increased either due to sole or combined application of organic manures and inorganic manures.

Effects of conservation agriculture on crop productivity and water-use efficiency under an irrigated pigeonpea–wheat cropping system in the western Indo-Gangetic Plains

Abstract: In search of a suitable resource conservation technology under pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) on crop productivity and water-use efficiency (WUE) were evaluated during a 3-year study. The treatments were: conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT) with planting on permanent narrow beds (PNB), PNB with residue (PNB + R), ZT with planting on permanent broad beds (PBB) and PBB + R. The PBB + R plots had higher pigeonpea grain yield than the CT plots in all 3 years. However, wheat grain yields under all plots were similar in all years except for PBB + R plots in the second year, which had higher wheat yield than CT plots. The contrast analysis showed that pigeonpea grain yield of CA plots was significantly higher than CT plots in the first year. However, both pigeonpea and wheat grain yields during the last 2 years under CA and CT plots were similar. The PBB + R plots had higher system WUE than the CT plots in the second and third years. Plots under CA had significantly higher WUE and significantly lower water use than CT plots in these years. The PBB + R plots had higher WUE than PNB + R and PNB plots. Also, the PBB plots had higher WUE than PNB in the second and third years, despite similar water use. The interactions of bed width and residue management for all parameters in the second and third years were not significant. Those positive impacts under PBB + R plots over CT plots were perceived to be due to no tillage and significantly higher amount of estimated residue retention. Thus, both PBB and PBB + R technologies would be very useful under a pigeonpea–wheat cropping system in this region.