Crop Residue Management under Changing Climate Scenario

Abstract

An effort has been made to study the effect of climate change on crop residues and need of crop residue management in present environmental condition. Crop residue management as an important practiced in the rice–wheat cropping system. In present condition, cropping season is shifted according to changing rainfall pattern. In case of wheat and rice-based cropping system, there is a chance of crop loss due to occurrence of rainfall at harvesting stage so, to cope with that situation combine harvesters become more popularize among farmers because of effective harvesting in less time, less effort and minimum labour cost. But it lefts a huge amount of loose straw in their field and farmers face difficulties in the disposal of huge straw in the field in short time has compelled to go for crop residue burning to save time as well labour. Farmers can use that residues in vermi-composting, can be fed to animals after urea treatment etc. without burning. In recent year 30-40% maize crop have been damaged due to hailstorm at its grain filling stage so these residues can be used in making silage. Removal of straw or stover can result in significant loss of soil organic carbon (SOC). If they are used as bedding for livestock, then much of the carbon may be returned to the soil as manure (Lal et al., 1998). When crop-residue is incorporated into soil, the soil’s physical properties and its water-holding capacity are enhanced. Unlike in earlier conservation farming systems wherein retained stubble was mulched and slashed, now it is mostly burned by the farmers. Vermicomposting, waste decomposer, Green Manuring, use of zero tillage machine, silage making and urea treated straw are the best option to crop residue management. The study aimed to examine the present status of crop residue management of major crops and its impact on farmers’ livelihood covering eleven blocks in Banka district of Bihar.