Introduction Dryland Agriculture refers to growing of crops entirely under rainfed conditions. Based on the amount of rainfall received, dryland agriculture can be grouped into three categories: * Dry Farming: Cultivation of crops in areas where rainfall is less than 750 mm per annum * Dryland Farming: Cultivation of crops in areas receiving rainfall above 750 mm + Rainfed Farming: Cultivation of crops in regions receiving more than 1,150 mm. Soil moisture dynamics in Dryland During rainy period, a portion of the rain received goes as runoff and remaining part enters the soil. It generally percolates to the lower layers and sometimes, goes beyond the root zone of crops. After the rain, the surface soil gradually dries out either due to evaporation or transpiration or due to both. B ling,ms in crop pr Dryland crops are characterized by very low and highly variable and uncertain yields. Crop failures are quite common. These are mainly due to the following causes. + Inadequate and uneven distribution of rainfall In general, the rainfall is low and highly variable which results in uncertain crop yields. Besides its uncertainty, the distribution of rainfall during the crop period is uneven, receiving high amount of rain, when it is not needed and lack of it when crop needs it. + Late onset and early cessation of rains Due to late onset of monsoon, the sowing of crop are delayed resulting in poor yields. Sometimes the rain may cease very early in the season exposing the crop to drought during flowering and maturity stages which reduces the crop yields considerably + Prolonged Dry spells during the crop period Long breaks in the rainy season is an important feature of Indian monsoon. These intervening dry spells when prolonged during crop period reduces crop growth and yield and when unduly prolonged crops fail. + Low moisture retention capacity ‘The crops raised on red soils, and coarse textured soil suffer due to lack of moisture whenever prolonged dry spells occur due to their low moisture holding capacity. Loss of rain occurs as runoff due to undulating and sloppy soils. + Low Fertility of Soils Drylands are not only thirsty, but also hungry too. Soil fertility has to be increased, but there is limited i ifgere for extensive use of chemical fertilizers due to lack of adequate soil moisture.Techniques t ration loss REDUCING EVAPORATION LOSSES: Soil moisture is the most limiting factor in dryland agriculture. It is lost as evaporation from the soil surface and as transpiration from the plant styfaces. Evaporation has to be arrested as it is not directly related to productivity whereas transpiration can be reduced to some extent without affecting productivity of plants. The evaporation losses can be reduced by: + Mulching + Antitranspirants * Wind breaks + Weed control ling)Mulching About 60 to 75 per cent of the rainfall is lost through evaporation. These evaporation losses can be reduced by applying mulches. Mulch is any material applied on the soil surface to check evaporation and improve soil water. Application of mulches results in additional benefits like soil conservation, moderation of temperature, reduction in soil salinity, weed control and improvement of soil structure. Types of mulching: b Soil mulching or dust mulching If the surface of the soil is loosened, it acts as a mulch for reducing evaporation. This loose surface soil is called soil mulch or dust mulch. Inter-cultivation creates soil mulch in a growing crop. Stubble mulching Crop residues like wheat straw or cotton stalks etc., are left on the soil surface as a stubble mulch. The advantages of stubble mulch farming are protection of soil from erosion and reduction of evaporation losses. Straw mulching Ifstraw is used as mulch, it is called as straw mulch. Plastic mulching Plastic materials like polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride are also used as mulching materials. Vertical mulching ‘To improve infiltration and storage of rainwater in these soils, vertical mulches are formed. It consists of digging narrow trenches across the slope at intervals and placing the straw or crop residues in these ja/t7eaches. The pruned plant material is placed in contour trenches formed between rows or in trenches around the plants in concentric circles each year in one circle.Dent! REDUCING TRANSPIRATION LOSSES Antitranspirants About 99 per cent of the water absorbed by the plants is lost in transpiration. If transpiration is controlled, it may help in maintenance of favourable water balance. Antitranspirant is any material applied to transpirtag plant surfaces for reducing water loss from the plant. These are of four types: + Stomatal Closing + Film forming + Reflective + Growth retardant Stomatal Closing type Most of the transpiration occurs through the stomata on the leaf surface. + Fungicides like phenyl mercuric acetate (PMA) and herbicides like atrazine in low concentrations serve as antitranspirants by inducing stomatal closing. These might reduce the photosynthesis also simultaneously. PMA was found to decrease transpiration to a greater degree than photosynthesis in a number of plants.Dryland techne Film Forming Type Plastic and waxy materials which form a thin film om the leaf surface retard the escape of water due to formation of physical barrier. Mobileaf, hexadeconol, silicone are some of the film forming type of antitranspirants. The success of these chemicals is limited since they also reduce photosynthesis. ‘The desirable characteristics of film forming type of anfitranspirants are: + They should form a thin layer, + They should be more resistant to the passage of water vapour than carbon dioxide and the film should maintain continuity and should not break Reflectant Type These are white materials which form a coating on the leaves and increase the leaf reflectance (albedo). By reflecting the radiation, they reduce leaf temperatures and vapour pressure gradient from leaf to atmosphere and thus reduce transpiration. + Application of 5 per cent kaolin spray reduces transpiration losses. +A diatomaceous earth product (celite) also increases reflection of solar radiation from crop canopy Growth Retardant These chemicals reduce shoot growth and increase root growth and thus enable the plants to resist drought. They may also, induce stomatal closure. + Cycocel is one such chemical useful for improving water status of the plant Antitranspirants generally reduce photosynthesis. Therefore, thelr use is limited to save the crop from death under severe moisture stress. If crop survives, it can utilise the rainfall that is received subsequent! ¢ystranspirants are also useful for reducing the transplantation shock of nursery plants. They have some practical use in nurseries and horticultural crops.‘WIND BREAKS Wind breaks are any structures that obstruct wind Mow and reduce wind speed while shelterhelts are rows of Irees planted for protection of crops against wind. The direction from which wind is blowing is called windward side and direction to which wind is blowing is called leeward side. SHELTERBELIS Shelterbelts are planted across the direction offzwind. They do not obstruct the wind flow completely. Depending upon thelr porosity, certain amount of wind passes through the shelterbelts while the rest deflects and crosses over the shelterbelts. It thus redaces wind speed without causing turbulence. The protection offered by the shelterbelts is dependent on the height of central tree row in the shelterbelis. Generally, shelterbelts give protection from desiccating winds to the extent of 5 to 10 times their heigh( on windward side and up to 30 times on leeward side. ‘Due to reducthon in wind speed, evaporation losses are reduced and more water fs available for plants. The beneficial effect of shelterbelts is seen more clearly in drought years. In addition, shelterbelts reduce wind erosion. Wind direction ==>Dryland technol WEED CONTROL 1. Prompt weed control eliminates the competition of weeds with crops for limited soil moisture. 2. Transpiration rate from weeds is more compared to crops. 3. Effective weed control in dryland agriculture leads to increasing avaflability ofsofl moisture to crops. This is the most useful measure to reduce transpiration losses. & Spraying nutrient solution ‘Nutrient solution spray is recommended in the event of revival of rain and release of moisture stress. + Urea or DAP spray (2% solution) is useful for quicker regeneration of crops like legumes and castorafter rain.Soil and water c Agronomic measures + Summer ploughing + Ridge and furrow system * Contour farming * Ploughing across the slope * Vegetative barriers + Intercropping * Crop rotation * Strip cropping * Mulching * Soil amendment application * Chisel ploughing * Alternate land use system nservation techniques Engineering measures * Broad bed furrow system * Contour bunding + Contour trenches + Contour stone wall + Compartmental bunding + Random tied ridging * Basin listing + Bench terracing + Micro catchment + Farm ponds + Percolation tanks + Check dams