Abstract

Eco-Chemical Management Of Different Landuse In Indian Central Himalayas-A Case Study From Almora-Binsar Area

Author(s): B.K.Joshi

The steep farming, smaller land holdings and other human encroachments increasingly threaten the agriculture ecosystem of the temperate hill region of Indian Himalayas. In the last few decades these are practiced as multiple uses, including the maintaining of environmental balance of the region. The present study was conducted to assess the poor traditional agriculture ecosystems and to discuss the prospects for improving their requirement by initiation of subsistence agro crop in the context of regular deterioration of these resources. A total of six trials from three traditional agriculture systems were considered for the present investigation i.e. marginal agriculture land, terraced agriculture land and irrigated agriculture land, including cash crop and non cash crop growing plots. It was obtained that the marginal agriculture land with poor-soil bunding are affected by steep ness, lower doses of fertilizer and frequent removal of grass biomass than the well-maintained bunding terraces. The results revealed that the small land holds size and marginal agriculture plot was with lowest soil moisture; organic carbon and nitrogen content and significantly varied with mentioned agriculture and irrigated plots for most of the soil characteristics. The peanut(Arachis hypogea) crops at marginal agriculture land enhancing one and half time farm income and more than five time for rainfed terrace agriculture, whereas the Potato(Solunum tubersum) cropping on and irrigated soil enhances nearly two fold in net incomes than the traditional crops cost. Moreover it augments ecological functions; carry valuable indigenous crops, retains soil moisture and provides continuous supply of organic matter and nutrients.