Zone Ib: IRRIGATED NORTH WESTERN PLAIN (ARS, Sriganganagar and ARSS, Hanumangarh)        
This zone covers geographical area of 2.1 m ha spread over Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts. The soils are alluvial deposits of river Ghaggar and yellowish brown in colour, loam to silty clay loam in texture and calcareous in nature. At many places they are intermixed with sand. Generally, soils have very high content of soluble salts and exchangeable sodium. The rainfall ranges from 100 mm in the southwest to 350 mm in the eastern parts of the zone. The major crops of the zone are chickpea, cotton, mustard, clusterbean and wheat.

Farm area  :  ARS, Sriganganagar  -  84.0 ha
                    ARSS, hanumangarh -  56.0 ha

Research Achievements

Crop varieties developed

During 2001-2008 following varieties were developed:

Crop	Variety	Specific Characteristics
Mustard	RGN 48	This variety has wider adaptability and has given 32.81, 11.04, 11.18 and 12.98 per cent higher seed yield over Varuna (NC), Kranti (NC), PBR-97 (ZC) and RH-819 (ZC), respectively. Suitable for late sowing.
	RGN 73	No incidence of Sclerotinia stem rot and tolerant against white rust, Alternaria blight, powdery mildew and downy mildew. Suited for irrigated situations. Resistant to lodging and shattering.
	RGN 13	High yielding variety in seed yield and oil content, resistant to lodging, shattering and frost.  Resistant to Alternaria blight.
Mungbean	Ganga 1	Long pods and bolder seeds with shining green colour .Moderately resistant to yellow mosaic virus and moderately tolerant to whitefly and jassids.
	Ganga 8	High yielding variety with moderate resistance to yellow mosaic virus disease
Cotton	RAJDH-9	Genetic male sterility (GMS) based hybrid, so seed production is economical. Higher seed cotton yield (2660 kg/ha) and resistant to bacterial blight and leaf curl virus diseases.
	RG 18	This variety is suitable for timely sowing. Plants are of lesser height and flowers are easily identifiable which helps in seed production. It has tolerance against  diseases and insects but medium tolerance for spotted boll worm. Its ginning percentage is 38.3 and average fibre length is 17.8 mm. It matures in 160-170 days giving 24-26 q/ha yield.
	RS 2013	Suitable for normal sowing conditions under assured irrigation and matures in 165-170 days.  Resistant to cotton leaf curl virus (CLCV) disease under field conditions.
	RS 810	This variety is resistant to cotton leaf curl virus (CLCV) disease and gives 12 per cent more yield than the prevailing Bikaneri Narma variety.
Chickpea	GNG 1499 (Kabuli)	Bold seed size (29.6/100 seeds) Kabuli gram variety,  low disease incidence and insect tolerance giving average seed yield 18 q/ha.
	GNG 1488	High yielding, low wilt, root rot and stunt diseases. Suitable for late sowing (first week of Dec.) under irrigated conditions.
	GNG 1581	Variety for NEPZ of India comprising states of Punjab, Haryana, Northern Rajasthan, Western U.P. and Jammu. It is suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions. Good level of tolerance is expressed against wilt disease, Ascochyta blight, stunt, root rot and BGM. Exhibited better tolerance against Helicoverpa armigera. It has profuse branching, imparting more number of pods per plant. Seed are attractive yellow in colour having medium size (16 g/1000 seed). Variety possesses good protein level (21.88%). Average maturity period is 151 days and average yield is 2368 kg/ha.
	GNG1292 (Kabuli)	High yielding variety (2580 kg/ha) of medium maturity (120-169 days) having bolder and uniform seed size.  Tolerant to pod borer.

PRODUCTION & PROTECTION TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED
                       
During the years 2006 & 2007 following technologies were developed and recommended for adoption by the farmers in the zone

• In Desi cotton hybrid (RAJDH-9), row to row and plant to plant spacing of 67.5 cm and 60 cm, respectively were found optimum.
• In Desi cotton hybrid variety (RAJDH-9), 40 kg P2O5/ha has been recommended.
• In American cotton, pendamethalin  @ 1.0 kg/ha as pre-plant application has been found effective for control of weeds.
• Variety RS-2013 of cotton was found good for high water table areas and also for areas where sufficient irrigation water is available.
• In American cotton-wheat cropping system, zinc sulphate @ 12 kg/ha is recommended for both the crops in Zn deficiant soils.
• For the control of root rot in cotton, seed treatment with Vitavex 200 WP @ 3 g/kg or bioagent Pseudomonas fluorescence @ 10g/kg of seed was recommended.
• For control of collar rot and root rot in groundnut, soil treatment at the time of sowing with Gliclodium virens @ 10 kg/ha mixed in 200 kg FYM alongwith  seed treatment with G. virens @ 10g/kg of seed was found effective.
• In kinnow,  foliar spray of streptocycline @ 0.01% along with copper oxychloride @ 0.2% was recommended for controlling citrus canker. Pseudomonas fluorescence @ 0.2% in kinnow drip irrigation schedule has also been found effective.
• Weedicide sulfosulfuron 75 WP (75%) + metasulfuronmethyl 20 WD (5%) @ 32 g. ai in 250 lit water /ha was found effective in controlling weeds in wheat.
• Fertigation with 75% RD of N&K in 4 splits at 15 days interval through drip was found beneficial in onion.
• In gram integrated pest management using NPV 112 LE + endosulfan 35EC 600 ml/ha at 1 larval/meter ETL as third module was recommended.
• Spinosad 45 SC 136 ml/ha and emaction benjoate 5SG @ 200g/ha was found effective for managing heliothis problem in gram.
• For the management of stem rot of mustard seed treatment with Trichoderma hamatum and Trichoderma viridie in 1:1 ratio @ 10g/kg of seed followed by 0.2% bioagent spray was found effective.
• For the management of whitefly in sugarcane insecticide acephate 75 SP  800 g/ha or ethion 20EC 1000ml/ha was found effective.
• 40kg S/ha through gypsum found suitable for obtaining higher yield in sugarcane.
• Metribuzin 75WP @ 1 kg/ha after planting of sugarcane was found effective in managing weeds in sugarcane.
• In American cotton variety RS-2013, addition of 150 kg gypsum found effective, if phosphorous is applied through di-ammonium phosphate (DAP). If recommended dose of P2O5 is given by single super phosphate (SSP) then there is no need to apply gypsum.
• In American cotton variety RS-2013, seven irrigations are required, first irrigation be applied 30-35 days after sowing and rest six irrigations be given at an interval of 15-20 days.
• In American cotton for insect management along with American bollworm, Spinosad 45 SC @ 0.33 ml/lit of water has been found effective.
• Intercropping of groundnut between paired rows of cotton was found more beneficial than sole crop of cotton or groundnut.  In this method of intercropping 8 rows of groundnut are intercropped between two paired rows (45cm) of cotton spaced at 3m.
• In mungbean  for chemical control of weeds, Basalin (Fluchlorolin 45% EC) or trilax (Trifluorolin 48% EC) weedicides @ 1.6 L in 600 litre water per ha should be sprayed on soil and thoroughly mixed before last cultivation. In standing crop, spray of Aceflurolin 24 SC @ 2.0 l/ha in 600 litre of water/ha recommended at 25-30 DAS.
• For controlling Phytopthora or gummosis in citrus, diseased bark either on branch or stem should be removed with the help of knife, during the process also remove some part of the healthy bark along with diseased portion.  After this paste made up of Metalexyl + mancozeb (ridomil MZ 72 WP) @ 20 g/lit in linseed oil or Psdudomas fluroscences or Trichoderma harzanium (talc based) @ 100 g mixed in 1 litre of water should be spread on removed part. After 5 days, the same part be pasted with linseed oil.
• Two irrigations each of 6 cm depth through sprinkler after 40 & 80 days of sowing recommended for raising mustard crop.
• Cotton and wheat may be irrigated with ground water having EC up to 5 dS/m in soils having EC upto 0.5dS/m.  However, in soils having initial EC 0.5 to 1.0 dS/m irrigation through ground water should be limited to three in wheat and two in cotton and remaining irrigations be given through canal water.