Crop and livestock productivity, soil health improvement and insect dynamics: Impact of different fodder-based cropping systems in a rainfed region of India

CONTEXT: Farmers in rainfed areas of South Asia depend on livestock to augment income, and provide manure for soil and crops. However, the full potential of the livestock is not realized due to the non-availability of quality fodder. The deficit may be attributed to limitation in expansion of cultivable land as well as non-availability of fodder from the protected forest areas. It is possible to enhance the productivity of the livestock by crop-livestock systems. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the crop and fodder production potential, nutritive value of the fodder, and reductions in soil nutrients loss and pests of the seven fodder-based inter-cropping systems in a rainfed region in South India.METHODS: A medium-term field experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2021 at the Gungal Research Farm of ICAR's Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (17o05' N, 78o39'E) with seven fodder-based cropping systems involving conventional crops either alone or in combinations with annual or perennial fodder species. The seven systems (treatments) were: sorghum + pigeon pea -hedge lucerne, sorghum + pigeonpea -guinea grass, castor -hedge lucerne, castor -guinea grass, sorghum -fodder -clusterbean -fodder-cowpea -fodder-horsegram, sole sorghum, and sole pigeonpea. Impacts of these systems on crop and livestock productivity, reductions in surface soil erosion and nutrient loss, and soil health and pest dynamics were studied. Livestock based studies were also conducted with the harvested fodders.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We found that sorghum + pigeonpea-hedge lucerne on average can produce 3865 kg ha-1 of sorghum grain equivalent yield and 37,820 kg ha-1 of sorghum fodder equivalent yield. The sorghum + pigeon pea-guinea grass would benefit the farmers with no animals, by selling the high biomass grass fodder and minimizing the risk of crop failure. These two systems are also better in providing green fodder for at least 8-9 months without any supplementary irrigation. We also observed increase in soil N, OC and soil mi-crobes. There was reduction in runoff (by 51-52%) and sediment loss (by 52%), and reduced pest and disease incidence in these systems.SIGNIFICANCE: Our study demonstrated that perennial fodder-based cropping systems are an excellent option to enhance the sustainability and livelihood security of rainfed farmers by reducing the risk of crop failure and supporting the livestock. These systems also open up the scope of integrating tree fodders especially in the bunds and farm borders.