Rainwater management technology to cope with climate variability and sustainable productivity of rainfed groundnut

Abstract

In–situ and ex–situ rainwater conservation techniques have great potential to conserve rainwater and provide supplement moisture to groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), especially during dryspells. Field experiment was conducted during kharif, 2016 with three main plots [rainfed, two supplemental irrigations (SI) each with 10 mm and 20 mm] and six sub plots [conservation furrows (CFs) 45 cm, 60 cm, 120 cm apart at time of sowing and at 30 days after sowing (DAS)] in split plot design with three replications in groundnut at ARS, Anantapur, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh. Since the formation of moisture CFs after crop establishment has some practical problems, they were formed at sowing time with an innovative technique of attaching shovels to the seed covering blade such that seed sowing, covering of seeds and formation of moisture CFs were done simultaneously. Mean data indicated that formation of CFs at the time of sowing increased pod yield and rainwater use efficiency 6.2% and 6.4%, respectively compared to formation CFs at 30 DAS. Two SIs (each at pegging and pod development stage) of 10 mm and 20 mm increased pod yields by 12% and 26%, respectively as compared to rainfed crop. Integration of in–situ CFs at the time sowing with 45 cm row spacing and SI with 20 mm during dry spells will increase productivity as well as net returns of rainfed groundnut in scarce rainfall zone of Andhra Pradesh.