Zone II a: TRANSITIONAL PLAIN OF INLAND DRAINAGE (ARS, Fatehpur and ARSS, Nagaur)     
          

The zone covers a geographical are of 3.69 m ha spread over Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur and parts of Churu districts. It is located in the west of the Aravalli range and is characterized by low and erratic rainfall, moving sand dunes, poor and impeded drainage and problems of soil salinity and sodicity. The soils are sandy loam to loam and crop cultivation is restricted due to shallow depth and stony surface. Red soils, saline and lithosols are found in depressions. The rainfall ranges from 300 mm in the west to about 500 mm in the eastern parts of the zone. Much part of the zone has problematic irrigation water (high residual sodium carbonate). Major crops of the zone are pearlmillet, clusterbean and pulses in kharif season and rapeseed & mustard and chickpea in rabi season.

Farm area  :   ARS Fatehpur   150.00 ha
                         ARSS Nagaur     90.00 ha

Research Achievements

Crop varieties developed - During 2001-2008 following varieties were developed:

Crop	Variety	Specific Characteristics
Cowpea	RCp-27	White seeded variety, out yielded RC-101 and has wide adaptability under low to medium rainfall areas

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

• Soaking of seeds in 1000 ppm thiourea for 5-6 hours and drying for 2-3 hours in shade before sowing was found effective for pearlmillet.
• For management of collar rot of groundnut, seed treatment with Carbendazim + thiaram ( 1+2 g/kg seed ) or Trichoderma harzianum @ 10 g /kg seed with soil application of 2 kg/ha alongwith 40 kg FYM was found effective.
• Five sprinkler irrigations in continuous arrangement (at 25,50,75,95 & 110 DAS) operating for four hours for each irrigation have been recommended for mustard.
• In two years cropping sequences, pearlmillet-mustard & clusterbean-barley cropping sequences, application of 5t FYM/ha once in two years found most suitable.
• Application of 40 kg P2O5/ha and 30 kg ZnSO4/ha to clusterbean only in clusterbean - barley rotation found beneficial.
•  For control of root rot in gram, seed treatment with Topsin-M + Thiram (1+2g/kg seed) with Trichoderma viride/ harzianum @ 2.5 kg/ha mixed in 50 kg FYM along with seed treatment with Trichoderma viride/harzianum @ 10.0g/kg seed was found effective.
• For control of stem rot in mustard, seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 1.0 g/kg seed followed by one spray of Carbendazim @ 1.0g/lit water after 65 days of sowing was found effective.
• Spray of thiamethoxam 25 WG @ 100g/ha in mustard and repetition after 15 days of first spray if necessary recommended for aphid control.
• In fenugreek spray mixed solution of Gomutra fermented in sunlight @ 10% (Gomutra in plastic or glass jar in sunlight for one month) and neem leaf extract 5% and repetition after 15-20 days of first spray if necessary recommended for control of aphids.
• For production of Nagauri pan methi 40 kg P2O5 and 30 kg S/ha as basal application have been recommended.
• Barley can tolerate about 8.0 Me/L RSC of irrigation water. Irrigation with high RSC water, application of gypsum in soil @ 50% GR once in three years in additional to 10 q gypsum/ha every year for barley crop reduced the alkalinity of soil and was also helpful in preventing further rise of soil pH.