Response of Conservation Agriculture on System Productivity and Carbon Sequestration in Rice-Based Cropping Systems

Low crop yields due to constant monocropping systems and deteriorating soil health in a smallholder farmers’ field of Indo-Gangetic plains of India have led to a quest for sustainable production practices with greater resource use efficiencies. The aim of the study was to elucidate the short term effects of conservation agricultural systems on productivity, soil health and carbon sequestration rate of soils in three different diversified cropping systems. The treatments consisted of two different tillage systems (conventional and reduced tillage), two mulch levels (no and straw mulch) and two levels of fertility (100 and 75% RDF) were compared in three rice-based cropping systems (rice-wheat; rice-vegetable pea-greengram; and rice-potato-maize sequences) for two years on an experimental field (clay loam) located at Norman E Borlaug Crop Research Center, Pantnagar, India. The resource conservation technologies (RCT) i.e. reduced tillage, mulch, and 100% RDF had recorded 2.5 and 3.0% higher system productivity and relative production efficiency in rice-vegetablepea-greengram and rice-potato-maize sequences, respectively in two consecutive years. Conservation tillage had sequestered three times higher carbon than conventional tillage while mulching acted four times higher than non-mulched condition in agricultural soils. Even though cropping system not significant significantly influenced on carbon sequestration, rice-vegetablepea-greengram sequence had recorded higher carbon sequestration rate and higher soil organic carbon stock noted in surface plough sole layer than any other cropping systems. Therefore, our results suggested that Indo-Gangetic farmers should consider adopting resource conservation practices together in indogangetic area because of benefits to soil health, carbon sequestration and system productivity.

Prevalence of reproductive tract infections amongst ever married women and sociocultural factors associated with it.

A community-based study was carried out to assess the prevalence of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) among ever married rural women aged 15 -45 years at village Naila during 2002. Six hundred houses were surveyed and all the eligible women residing in these houses were interviewed by MPWs and Interns and were offered medical examinations at rural health training centre, Naila. At least one symptom related to RTIs was found in 471(55%) out of 859 women. Only 50% (432/859) women gave consent for their gynaecological and microbiological examinations. Out of 432 women examined 61% (263/432) had at least one type of RTIs. Out of 263 cases, 43% had cervicitis, 26% had bacterial vaginitis, 14% had fungal infection, 8% had trichomonas vaginitis, 22% had pelvic inflammatory disease and 19% had cervical erosion. Prevalence of RTI was significantly associated with age, personal hygiene, material used for menstrual blood, gravida status, type of attendance at child birth, invasive contraceptives, gynaecological surgery but caste, literacy status and place of deliveries were not significantly associated with RTI status in the present study.

Electrocardiographic manifestations of healthy residents of a tribal Himalayan village.

Electrocardiograms of 984 healthy subjects residing in village Kalpa at the height of 9000 feet above sea level were studied. Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) was observed in 9 (0.914%) subjects. Electrocardiographic evidence of ischaemic heart disease was found in 6 (0.609%) subjects.

Problems and prospects of a traditional source of potable water in hilly terrains.

During epidemic investigation, water sources were tested for quality for drinking purpose. Out of 30 khatris tested, water of 86.7% khatris was fit for human consumption and fecal coliform was not found in any of them. Modification of these khatris was stressed by respondents.