ISSN : 0971-7447 ENVIS BULLETIN ________________________________________________________________________ HIMALAYAN ECOLOGY Volume 13, No. 2, 2005 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (An autonomous Institute of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India) Kosi-Katarmal, Almora - 263 643, Uttaranchal, India ENVIS Bulletin : Himalayan Ecology 13(2), 2005 1 About the Bulletin ENVIS Bulletin on Himalayan Ecology is a biannual non-priced publication of the ENVIS Centre that was established in the headquarters of the G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED) in the financial year 1992-93 with the financial support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi. The present volume of the ENVIS Bulletin is thirteenth in a series of its biannual publication and contains papers on various aspects of agriculture, animal husbandry and biodiversity conservation, etc. The news and views offered in the papers in this publication are the views of the concerned authors. Therefore, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors and ENVIS Centre of the Institute. The content of the Bulletin may be quoted or reproduced for non-commercial use provided the source is duly acknowledged. The contributions to the next issue of the Bulletin in a form of research paper, popular article, news item and technical report, etc., related to the aspects of Himalayan Ecology, are always welcome. However, the matter supplied by the individual/ organization may be edited for length and clarity. Request for institutional subscription of the Bulletin may be sent to the Scientist-in-Charge of the ENVIS Centre. The comments/suggestions for further improvement of the Bulletin are also welcome. Dr. P.P. Dhyani Executive Editor, ENVIS Bulletin, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora – 263 643, Uttaranchal, India Tel : 05962-241153(O)/241156(R)/9412092189(M) Fax : 05962-241153/241150 E-mail : [email protected]/[email protected] Website : http://www.geocities.com/ppdhyani2003/ 2 ENVIS Centre, GBPIHED Contents Research Papers ENSURING RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT FOR ENHANCED RICE PRODUCTIVITY IN WATERSHEDS OF HIGH RAINFALL HILL ZONES OF NORTH-EASTERN HIMALAYA A. K. Mishra POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING IN MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES IN NORTH EASTERN REGION Pooja Asati and B.S. Asati DIVERSITY OF CUCURBITACEOUS CROPS IN NORTH EASTERN REGION R.K.Yadav, D.S.Yadav and Pranabjyoti Sarma BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ISSUES IN SIKKIM – II. HIGH ALTITUDE MULTI-PURPOSE ANIMAL SPECIES, THE YAK ( BOS MUTUS GRUNNIENS ) Ravikant Avasthe Research Communication SURVEY OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF FARMERS AND ANIMAL FEED RESOURCES IN THE MOUNTAINS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH Ram Singh Selected Abstracts Forthcoming Events News & Views Hindi Section uUnk nsoh lajf{kr tSoeaMy {ks= esa ifjos'k i;ZVu dk s izksRlkgu % erHksn lq/kkj] tSo&fofo/krk laj{k.k ,oa lkekftd vkSj vkfFkZd fodkl ds fy, lq`n`<+ ekxZ vkj0 ds0 eS[kqjh] fjrs'k tks'kh] yfyr dqekj ,oa nhid /;kuh ENVIS Bulletin : Himalayan Ecology 13(2), 2005 3 ENSURING RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT FOR ENHANCED RICE PRODUCTIVITY IN WATERSHEDS OF HIGH RAINFALL HILL ZONES OF NORTH-EASTERN HIMALAYA A. K. Mishra † Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Water Technology Centre Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi -110012 INTRODUCTION Rice is one of the main crops of the North-Eastern Himalayan region of India. It is also a major crop of the North Eastern hilly ecosystem with an area of around one million hectare giving an average productivity of 14.5 q/ha (Anonymous, 1995). Use of improved varieties is known to contribute up to 40% of the enhanced yield and thus it plays a key role in increasing the productivity (Borthakur, 1993, Dhillon et al., 2001). Rice cultivation in the NEH region of India is exposed to different biotic and abiotic stresses including the exposure to extreme temperatures at the time of flowering and grain filling stages. The average annual rainfall of the region ranges from 2000-4000 mm and goes as high as 11000 mm in Cherrapunjee area. The production and productivity of the region are low as compared to other regions. Rice is grown in hilly upland areas in the hilly states, which are not much suitable for rice cultivation and the productivity of upland rice is much lower than that of plains. Consequently the average productivity of the region is much below the national average (Figure 1). Figure 1. Area, production and productivity of rice in the NEH region 3500 Productivity ( Kg/ha) Production (in '000 tonnes) 3000 Area('000ha) 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 8 9 0 81 82 83 84 85 86 -87 -88 -89 -90 4- 5- 8 8 86 983- 9 9 9 1975-761976-771977-71978-71979-81980- 1981- 1982- 1 1 1 1 1987 1988 1989 1990-911991-921992-931993-941994-95 Years Edaphic and climatic factors affecting rice productivity in the North-Eastern Hill region The topography of the region is highly rugged. In the region, the altitude varies from 500 to > 3000 m above mean sea level. The climate of the region ranges from subtropical plains to temperate † Formerly, Scientist (Soil and Water Conservation Engineering), Division of Water Management, ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umiam (Meghalaya). 4 ENVIS Centre, GBPIHED hills with average annual rainfall varying from 1000 to 4000 mm and temperature ranges from below 0oC to above 38 oC. The various soil groups are Alfisols, Entisols, Inseptisols, Moillisols and Ultisols. These factors have been listed to substantiate the claim that the region has very good potential for rice production. However, the region is lagging much behind the other advanced states as for as the production and productivity of rice are concerned. In post green revolution period after 1960s, there has been consolidated research efforts in the field of crop improvement and crop production, but the increase is minimal. The region has got rich diversity of local germplasm. Further, it is believed that the NEH region is the birthplace of rice in the world (Borthakur, 1993; Dhillon et al., 2001). But the productivity and production of the rice are low resulting into a lower per capita consumption as well. With the rapid increase in the population, it is highly essential to increase the production of this staple diet of the people to be able to self-sufficient as the potential is already there. Due to environmental and other considerations, it is not possible to expand the horizontal area under the crop. The only alternative is to boost the productivity. That can be increased by: a) genetic manipulation and development of high yielding varieties suitable to this region (Gupta et al. 1995; Pattanayak et al., 1998; Reddy et al., 1999 and Gupta, 2001); and b) by careful manipulation, efficient and judicious utilization and management of the resources available for rice cultivation in hills (Mishra and Gupta, 1998; Mohanty et al., 1999; Mishra and Satapathy, 2003 and Mishra et al., 2004). Cultivation practices of rice in hilly watersheds The rice farming situations in the North Eastern Hills are as follows: 1. Direct seeded, rain fed in upland (on steep slopes), 2. Direct seeded rain fed on level bench terraces, 3. Transplanted on wet terraces; and 4. Transplanted in valley lands. 1. Direct seeded, rain fed in upland (on steep slopes) The patches of land are cleared in the hills and vegetation is burnt to make plots for rice cultivation on steep hill slopes. The paddy seeds are directly broad casted on steep hill slopes, which germinate with moisture availability. The crop is mainly grown as rain fed without any control on water application. Provisions, however, are made for safe removal of excess water from the fields by providing drainage channels along the slopes. 2. Direct seeded rain fed on level bench terraces At slightly lower gradients wherever it is possible, some farmers have converted the slopes into uneven, irregular shape terraces, which may be slopy outward contrary to the requirements of high rainfall hill zones of being slopy inward with a drainage channel at the rim of the slope. In some cases the rice is cultivated on dry terraces of different shapes and sizes as rain fed crop. Where the rice is cultivated as rain fed crop on slopes, there is no careful planning and scientific design of water conveyance and drainage systems; rather the irrigation is applied from one terrace to the other except a few well developed system of rice farming in the region. Indigenous technical know how plays a very significant role in management of nutrients and crop agronomy. Without favourable growth conditions, poor inputs and heavy infestation of weeds, insects and pests attack clubbed with inefficient resources management practices, the rice productivity in the hilly watersheds has been adversely affected resulting in lower production and productivity. (Singh, 1999; Singh and Sharma, 1999). ENVIS Bulletin : Himalayan Ecology 13(2), 2005 5 3. Transplanted on wet terraces In the states of Nagaland, Sikkim and Manipur the rice is cultivated on carefully designed wet terraces. The water coming from the upstream and highlands is tamed and made to stand behind the bunds. The flow of water is regulated and it is carefully carried from one terrace to the other and finally drained off in the downstream channels leading to streams or nallas. In this system of rice cultivation, there is no control on the movement of nutrients with water (Kannan et al., 1999). Zabo farming system of Nagaland and Apatanis of Arunachal Pradesh are example of a better-managed resource systems but not the well-managed system as has been claimed in the past (Singh and Sharma, 1999). Because in these systems, due to extremely high rainfall resulting into excessively high runoff with disturbances in the soil, it is likely that the soil loss will definitely take place.