Resources Conservation Technology (RCT) in crop production 

Resources Conservation Technology

Resources conservation technology refers to those practices or approaches which increase the input use efficiency and factor productivity including labor, capital, and other inputs. It includes zero tillage/ minimum tillage, precision farming, intercropping, cover cropping, water harvesting, nutrient management, sequential farming etc. These techniques mainly conserve the natural resources, restore soil fertility, sustain soil productivity and increase the production.  

Due to the green revolution, the production of staple crops like rice, wheat and maize has decreased markedly. As these crops are highly nutrient exhaustive crops and hybrids are most nutrient requiring. Intensive and continuous cultivation of cereals has directly affected the properties of soil. If there is no supplement nutrient to the soil then it will deteriorate to the point where no crops can further be grown anymore. Due to overuse of natural resources like water, nutrients from soil and also excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, agrochemicals, the productivity of soil has declined. Resource conservation technology can be the best alternative to conserve natural resources and to restore nutrients of soil. 

Resource conservation technology in crop production 

1. Zero tillage/ minimum tillage 

It involves the practices in which crops are directly sown on arable land or with minimum disturbance to soil through tillage. It doesn’t disturb the physical structure of soil. It is also called “no-till”  or  “low-till”. In traditional farming method, cultivating land is tilled 3-4 times by MB plough followed by planking and leveling which is totally skipped in zero tillage so that its soil structure and moisture holding capacity is maintained. It has been proven better for direct seeding rice, maize, wheat, lentil etc.  

Advantages of zero tillage:

• Soil compaction due to farm implements is avoided.  
• Soil erosion from water, wind and leaching of nutrients can be minimized. 

• Low Evaporation from soil surface. 
• As no till is required, cost of production can be minimized.  
• Ensures timely planting of crops as time required for tillage operation is not required. 
• High biological activity of soil fauna which maintains soil structure. 

2. Crop residue cover  

Crop residues are the portion of crops left in the field after harvest which don’t have economic value or purposes. It can be used to cover the soil particles which protect soil from rainfall drops which detach particles and cause leaching. It also lowers soil temperature and makes it suitable for germination and further growth of crops. There are two types of residue i.e. process residue and field residue. Field residue includes stalks, stubbles, leaves etc. Whereas process residue includes husk, molasses, bagasse, etc. Through this crop residue cover, carbon can be restored in soil which increases water absorption capacity of soil particles. As soil organic carbon increases, soil aggregates become stable which helps to store moisture on soil pores and even resist detachment.  

3. Precision farming  

It is the science of improving and sustaining crop productivity using high technology sensors and analysis tools. It is a new concept which has been adopted by different countries worldwide. Its main  vision is to increase production by ensuring effective management of fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation water using different techniques and technologies. It requires a multiple data source and information about crop health and condition to improve yield and quality of crops. It is the smart farming method where all the agricultural operations are carried out precisely and correctly. The components of this farming approach are GPS guidance, drones, robotics, software, remote sensing etc. It provides more accurate farming techniques for growing agricultural crops.  

4. Crop rotation  

The practice of growing different crops in succession on a piece of land over a period of time. It is considered vital in conservation Agriculture which offers a higher diversity in plant production and in human and livestock nutrition. Usually, legumes are grown in rotation which fixes Nitrogen and makes it available to the plants. It helps in nutrition recycling and restore soil fertility and preserve soil productivity.  

Principles and advantages of crop rotation 

• Shallow rooted crops like rice which have fibrous root system and deep rooted crops like  wheat having tap root system are grown in rotation which helps in nutrient recycling. 

• Nutrient exhaustive and nutrient restorative crops in rotation helps to restore soil fertility and maintains productivity. Legumes and non-legume crops are usually practiced.  
• Similarly, crops having different water requirements can be grown in succession which preserve soil moisture. 
• Proper utilization of farm resources like manure, irrigation water, labor and farm machineries. 
• Helps to meet the nutritional demand in the family as it offers an option for higher diversity in plant production. 
• Insects, pests and diseases cannot complete its life cycle as its host range differs which helps in reducing incidence of pests and diseases. 

5. Cover Crops 

Cover crops are plants that are closely grown on soil for the purpose of protecting it from rain drop splitting which causes erosion. Winter cereals like wheat, black oats, rye can be used as cover crops. In legumes, peanut grass are used as cover crops.  Cover crops helps in reducing erosion, improving infiltration, better nutrient cycling and legumes even fix atmospheric N and make available to plants.  It directly protect the soil from raindrop splits and reduces soil detachment. Surface area is covered by crops which decreases the water loss from soil and preserves soil moisture. Cover crops also maintain soil temperature that is favourable to crops. 

6. Sequential cropping 

Sequential cropping means growing two or more crops in sequence on the same piece of land in the same year. It is also a type of multiple cropping system. It includes legumes after paddy cultivation. 

Types of sequential cropping  

• Double cropping: Here two crops are cultivated in succession on a piece of land in a year.  
• Triple cropping: Here, three crops are cultivated in succession on a piece of land in a year.  
• Quadruple cropping: In this cropping, four crops are cultivated in succession in a piece of land in a year.  

7. Integrated farming system  

The farming system which combines various farm enterprises such as agricultural crops, livestock, aquaculture, fishery, Agroforestry, sericulture in a sustained way to achieve a sustainability in productivity. It is a fundamental principle of conservation agriculture. All the by-product and wastes are used and recycled in the farm so that there’s nothing to waste. Locally available resources are used in this farming system which makes it cost effective. For e.g. crop residue i.e. stalks stubbles from agricultural fields can be used as animal feed. And the excreta of livestock can be used as manure for crops which makes the soil fertile and increases production. Draft power is also supplied in the crop field. From forest dried leaves can be collected and used as bedding material for livestock. So here, wastes or output from one component can be used as raw material for another component which makes the utilization of resources very efficient. The main principle of this farming is to recycle nutrients and use locally available resources which increases the income and production per unit area of the farm. This system also encourages farmers to diversify their farm and raise more enterprises so that income would me more from diverse products. It makes the farm and farmers self-sufficient in all possible ways.  

Advantages of integrated farming system  

• It increases total farm production due to diverse products.  

• Maintains ecosystem and agroecology as IFS model combines different enterprises  
• Restore soil fertility and maintain productivity. 
• Utilization of wastes or by-products from each component and recycle it.  
• Makes farmers self-sufficient in nutrition and food through a diverse range of products.  
• It is a very cost-effective method of farming.  

8. Agroforestry  

It simply means a combination of Agriculture and forestry. Integration of crops and trees i.e. fruit, fodder and managed them as a single unit is known as agroforestry system. It has been practised in Nepal since long in hilly region. Taungya and shifting cultivation are agroforestry systems which are traditional, old practices and very specific to social, economic and agroecological conditions. In the Agroforestry model, trees and shrubs are allowed to grow along with agricultural crops in the same production system. The main principle of the Agroforestry system is productive, protective, ameliorative and livelihood improvement. It produces a diverse range of products such as agricultural crops, fruit, fuel, timber and also fodder for livestock. Trees act as shelter belts and wind breakers which protects crops from lodging. It also protects soil from erosion, sunlight, max heat, and also multiplies the activity of soil fauna by creating a conducive environment. Legume trees help in fixing atmospheric N and are made available to crops and also maintains soil productivity. Agroforestry management seeks to actively manipulate the biological and physical interactions between the trees, crop and animal components. The main goal of agroforestry is to recycle nutrients from the deep subsurface layer to the top layer of  soil. Trees are generally extended to a deeper layer and extract nutrients and water leached from the crop rhizosphere. The nutrients are recycled via leaf twigs fallen onto the soil surface. So, agroforestry plays a vital role in nutrient recycling. Some agroforestry species are Eucalyptus, chuletro, Neem, taaki, koiralo, sal, uttis etc.  

Characteristics of Agroforestry systems 

• It consists of diverse products from different components.  

• Resources are efficiently mobilized. 
• It involves two or more species of plants at least of which is woody perennial. 
• Nutrient and water are effectively recycled between soil horizons. 
• It is a complex system compared to monoculture. 

9. Drip Irrigation 

The irrigation methods which involve the slow application of water i.e. drop by drop through emitter to the root zone of crops. It is particularly suited to areas where land is steeply sloping and water requirement is frequent. This method is very suitable in rainy areas. It saves about 60-70% of water. Also, surface Evaporation, leaching, and surface runoff are prevented by this method of irrigation. 

Benefits:  

• It reduces the incidence of diseases in crops as it prevents the contact of water to leaves, fruit, and branches.  
• It increases yield by 50-60%.  

• It saves water and time for application of water.  
• It also prevents the growth of weeds. 
• Reduces percolation and leaching of nutrients and water. 

10. Direct seeded rice (DSR) 

DSR is a sustainable approach for rice production which aims at saving irrigation water and to reduce days to maturity of paddy. Due to climate change  rainfall patterns are being altered and due to low rainfall intensity rice production was declining markedly in recent years. There are other challenges of shortage of labor, farm machineries and many more to raise the seedlings in the nursery. So, taking all the challenges into concern, DSR has been one of the options to address all the challenges. In DSR, rice seeds are directly sown in the field and other operations are carried out after that on the same field. Comparatively DSR matures fast, low emissions of greenhouse gasses, and saves scarce resources like labor, water. 

Advantages:  

• It saves about 20- 30% of irrigation water. 
• There is no marginal reduction of yield compared to conventional methods. 
• It lowers the cost of production which helps in generating more income.  
• It also conserves scarce resources like water, labor very effectively. 

11. Rain water harvesting 

It is the process of collecting and storing rain water directly or from a runoff area which can be applied to the field to irrigate crops. In Nepal, rainfall is very intense and seasonal. About 80% of rainfall occurs during monsoon. So it is necessary to harvest rain water using different techniques to recharge aquifers creating a pond or tank. In areas where rainfall is very low and there is a long drought period, this technique is applied to tackle the problems. There are different methods of rainwater harvesting. 

• Rooftop rainwater harvesting  
• Surface runoff harvesting. 

12. Leaf Color chart (LCC) 

It is used to measure the green color intensity of rice leaves to know the status and requirements of Nitrogen. The LCC is used to access the nitrogen requirement from tillering to panicle initiation or even later. The plant is compared with the color in the color chart which has a different range of color from yellowish green to dark green. And once the color is confirmed LCC is determined. This LCC guides the optimum application of N in the rice field that helps to increase production.  

13. Fertilizer use Efficiency  

Applying fertilizer is not only enough for crop production, we should know all the determinants of fertilizer use efficiency so that applied fertilizer is utilized efficiently. There are several factors that affect fertilizer use efficiency which includes environmental condition, crop type and its varieties, weather condition, soil type, health of plant and type and methods of fertilizer application. Fertilizer requirement also depends on the crop type and growth stages of crops. So, fertilizer should be applied only when crop requires it which helps in efficient utilization of fertilizer and avoids nutrient loss. This helps us to reduce the amount of fertilizer and costs of farmers. Leaching of nutrients can be prevented and also promotes healthier soil and crop growth. 

14. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) 

The SRI is an innovative method aimed to sustain the production of rice through efficient utilization and management of resources and inputs. In this method, younger seedlings of 8-10 days old are used for transplantation where 3-4 weeks seedlings are transplanted in traditional farming. Also, only one seedling per hill with wide spacing is practiced in SRI. However, traditional methods use 2-3 clumps per hill. The root competition is prevented in the SRI system as there is only one seedling per hill. Spacing of about 25×25 or 30×30 is used. It depends on the varieties and no tillers formed in that cultivar. In SRI, flooding of fields during vegetative stage is avoided. But during reproductive stages 1-2 inches of standing water is kept in the field. 

Benefits:  

• SRI methods increase the production of rice. 
• Optimum use of resources like irrigation water, fertilizer and less requirement of rice seedlings makes it cost effective.  
• Saves water as flooding is not done at an early stage. 
• Protect soil from compaction and less use of fertilizer sustain soil health. 

15. Use of GPS and GIS in Agriculture 

The use of GPS (Global Positioning System) and GIS (Geographic Information System) in agriculture has revolutionized the way modern farming practices are conducted. These technologies offer numerous benefits and improvements in precision, efficiency, and decision-making for farmers and agribusinesses. Here are some of the key applications of GPS and GIS in agriculture:

Overall, the integration of GPS and GIS in agriculture has significantly increased productivity, reduced costs, and minimized environmental impact, making it an essential component of modern and sustainable farming practices.