Person: Khan, B.R.
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Khan
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Khan, B.R.
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- Increasing wheat productivity in the context of Pakistan's irrigated cropping systems: A view from the farmers' field(PARC, 1986) Byerlee, D.; Hobbs, P.R.; Khan, B.R.; Majid, A.; Akhtar, M.R.; Hashmi, N.I.Over 85 percent of wheat area in Pakistan is now sown to high yielding varieties and the national average fertilizer application for wheat is nearly 90kg/ha of nutrients. Further increases in wheat yields will come about largely through improved cultural practices which exploit the genetic potential of available varieties. This will have to be done within an economic environment tending to reduce price incentives in wheat production. This report summarizes findings from three years of research on wheat production in farmers' fields in three irrigated cropping systems the Punjab rice/wheat area and cotton/wheat area and the NWFP maize-sugarcane/wheat area. A farming systems research approach has been used in which a) wheat has been viewed as an integral part of a cropping system and changes have been evaluated in terms of the productivity of the system, b) constraints on wheat production and opportunities for change have been analysed at the farm level for well defined groups of farmers and c) a multidisciplinary team of wheat scientists and social scientists have collaborated in analysing farmers' problems. A diagnostic survey has been conducted in each area using informal and formal survey techniques, to provide an understanding of the system and farmers' production practices. This has been followed by experiments in farmers' fields to test promising opportunities for improving productivity. The results reported are based on interviews with nearly 1000 farmers and the outcome of nearly 200 on farm experiments. In each of the three areas a dominant crop rotation prevails with wheat sown after rice, cotton or maize (according to the area) in half or more of the fields surveyed. These sequential double cropping patterns have led to widespread late planting of wheat (70% of fields were planted after December 1st in the cotton/wheat area). Late planting leads to an average decline in yields of 30-40kg for every day's delay in planting. Breeding emphas±s needs to shift to developing varieties which perform well over all planting dates, and particularly for late planting, which represents the "norm" in many areas. Recent evidence indicates that newly released "full season" varieties, especially Pak81, perform better in late planting than the early variety, Sonalika, which is currently recommended. The trend toward double cropping is continuing and will place greater pressure on the wheat crop. Many fields, especially in the rice/wheat area, are sown to a single cropping pattern year-after-year. The continuous sowing of wheat in Rabi cycle has led to an increase in weed and probably other pest problems and a decline in yields. Research is needed to establish more productive long term rotations in this area. In 1984, 80 percent of farmers planted banned or other rust susceptible wheat varieties such as Sonalika, and the Pakistan wheat harvest is again at risk of a rust epidemic. Less than 20 percent of farmers planted newly released varieties such as Pak8l and Punjab 81. The adoption of these newer varieties has accelerated over the last two seasons but the pace of change is too slow to prevent a rust epidemic. Pak 81, in particular, has consistently outyielded 6ther varieties by 20% or more in onfarm trials and greater efforts are needed in extension and seed distribution to speed up the adoption of this variety, especially in stripe rust areas. Farmers in the three areas commonly used one bag/acre each Gf Urea and DAP. This is well below the recommended levels but evidence is presented that fertilizer recommendations need to be tailored to farmers' needs by a) adapting recommendations to particular crop rotations, soil types, irrigation access etc. and b) basing recommendations on sound economic analysis of response curves and taking into account farmers' costs and scarcity of capital. The major issue in land preparation and planting is the difficulty experienced in obtaining a good seed bed for wheat after rice. The use of a specially designed drill for direct drilling with zero tillage has shown promise of a breakthrough in this area. Direct drilling has produced a good st~nd of wheat, reduced turnaround time from rice to wheat and eliminated land preparation costs. The major weed control method used by farmers, especially for grassy weeds is crop rotation. However, significant yield losses occur due to grassy weeds in the rice/wheat area and broadleaf weeds in the maize/wheat area. Herbicide control of broadleaf weeds is highly profitable in the NWFP maize/wheat area but more work is needed to find economic means for controlling grassy weeds in the rice/wheat and practical area. Irrigation practices are very variable depending on crop rotation, soil type and access to water. Little research is available to guide farmers to utilize water efficiently under their particular circumstances. Wheat yields varied from 1.8t/ha in the rice/wheat area to 2.8t/ha in the NWFP maize/wheat area. Official yield statistics are grossly in error for NWFP. At current, prices, wheat production provides negative economic returns in all areas except the maize/wheat area. Multiple regression analysis of farmers yields' shows, that the main factors responsible for differences in yields are - variety, nitrogen or phosphorous depending on the area, irrigation and especially crop rotation. Weed problems are also a significant yield reducing foetor in each area. However, the yield gap between farmers' yields and an economic potential yield is only 30-40%, much low~r than widely reported. In addition, yield differences between small and large farmers are not significant except in the rice/wheat area. Opportunities for technology transfer and research to sustain future increases in wheat production are identified. Technology transfer should focus on dissemination of newly released varieties in all areas, use of direct drilling in the rice/wheat area, and broad leaf weed control by herbicides in the maize/wheat area. Many of the issues analysed in the report are identified for further onfarm research especially fertilizer and water use efficiency. In addition, long term research on rotations is needed. Finally, the data base generated can serve as a ~aluable starting point for analysis of key policy issues such as fertilizer subsidies or the comparative advantage of wheat and oilseeds. The report concludes with implications for organizing research to sustain increased wheat production. These emphasise a multidisciplinary approach to solving farmers' pro~uction problems with priority on onfarm research. Decentralization of production research to specific locations representing major cropping systems and reorientation of extension priorities are also recommended.
Publication - Irrigated wheat in North West Frontier Province: A synthesis of On-farm research results 1983-86(CIMMYT, 1990) Razzaq, A.; Khan, B.R.; Khan, B.; Hobbs, P.R.; Hashmi, N.I.; Heisey, P.W.This paper presents the data obtained from on-farm experiments on tillage, variety, weed control, and fertilizer in the irrigated areas of Mardan, Peshawar, and Swat Districts of NWFP. More emphasis is given to Mardan District, the major irrigated area of the province. The study was conducted jointly from 1983-86 by the Wheat Program, NARC, CIMMYT, and the outreach program at the Cereal Crops Research Institute, Pirsabak, NWFP. From 1983-84 to 1985-86, 127 experiments were conducted on different aspects of crop management (tillage, variety, weed control, and fertilizer). Fields were selected where the previous crop was either maize or sugarcane. Trials were mostly researcher managed and designed to obtain quantitative data on potential yields in the area. Most of the trials were unreplicated. Based on 14 experiments, deep primary tillage gave 10.6% more yield than traditional farmers' practices. Although the cost of deep plowing was double that of traditional methods, it gave higher net benefits. In the varietal trials, Pirsabak-85 and Pak-81 (both Veery lines) were higher yielding than the other two varieties tested, Sarhad-82 and Sarhad-83, and also showed good stripe and leaf rust resistance. Broadleaf weeds were a serious problem in the area but could easily and economically be controlled by the Phenoxy-type herbicides like Buctril-M, 2,4-0 and MCPA. Dicuran-MA proved to be the best herbicide for controlling the grassy weeds, Avena fatua and Phalaris minor. Application of herbicides mixed with sand and broadcast was as effective as spraying, provided the chemicals were uniformly broadcast Based on economic analysis of fertilizer response curves, the recommended doses for wheat after maize were 106-38 kg/ha of N-P205 and for wheat after sugarcane, 107-65 kg/ha. Nitrogen doses from 80 to 170 kg/ha and phosphorus from 30 to 130 kg/ha were economical, depending on how much the farmer can afford.
Publication - Wheat production and yields in Rawalpindi District of the Punjab from 1983 to 1986(CIMMYT, 1989) Hobbs, P.R.; Razzaq, A.; Hashmi, N.I.; Khan, B.R.; Khan, B.This study is based on surveys undertaken during wheat harvest in the rainfed (barani) areas of Rawalpindi district of Pakistan's Punjab from 1983 to 1986. Wheat yields were estimated by crop cut and related to farmers' management practices in the same plots. Differences in yields and practices were analysed in terms of farm size, cropping pattern, land type and socioeconomic factors. Visual observations of field problems were also taken and related to yield. The area surveyed has an average annual rainfall between 500-750 mm. One third of this rain falls in the wheat season. The four years of study had variable rainfall with 1983 and 1986 above and 1984 and 1985 below average. Soils in the study area are composed of loess deposits and sedentary materials and range in texture from sandy loam to silty clay loam. Soil available moisture varies from 50 to 200 mm to a depth of 1.5 metres.
Publication - Wheat in Barani areas of Northern Punjab: a synthesis of on-farm research results 1982-1988(CIMMYT, 1990) Razzaq, A.; Hashmi, N.I.; Khan, B.; Khan, B.R.; Hobbs, P.R.This paper analyses the results from on-farm experiments on tillage, variety, fertiliser, and weed control on rainfed wheat production in the high and medium rainfall zones of Pakistan. The experiments were conducted from 1982 to 1988 by the Wheat Programme of the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). During that period, a total of 230 mostly researcher-managed trials were layed out to obtain quantitative data on potential yields in the area. Fields representing typical land types (mera and lepara) and cropping patterns (wheat after fallow or after maize) were selected. "The wheat growing seasons differed substantially in rainfall and temperature. The years 1983-84 and 1984-85 were generally hot and dry, but drought stress occurred only at the vegetative and grain filling stages during the former, and at the flowering stage during the latter. No moisture stress was experienced at all during the 1982-83 and 1985-86 cycles. Total rainfall during 1986-87 and 1987-88 was above average, but some stress occurred at the early flowering stage in 1986-87, and there was severe moisture stress at the early crop stages of 1987-88, seriously affecting germination and tillering. Average annual yield in the experiments was highly correlated with annual rabi season rainfall. From 1982 to 1987 deep moldboard tillage in the early kharif season before planting wheat led to average annual increases of 25% over yields obtained using conventional cultivator tillage. This effect was more pronounced during the dry years, and was chiefly attributed to better rooting associated with the breakup of the compacted soil below the plough layer. Deep tillage also resulted in more moisture, less weeds and less foot rot disease, thus contributing to improved yields. There was evidence of a positive residual effect on subsequent crops from deep tillage for wheat, making this practice an even more valuable contribution to increased productivity in the barani areas. Deep, moldboard ploughing for the maize crop followed by minimum tillage for wheat also increased the productivity of the maize-wheat system. Moldboard ploughing was no more expensive, and often cheaper, than traditional practices. Adoption of this technology, however, will depend on the availability of moldboard ploughs and training in their proper use. A nitrogen and phosphorus incomplete factorial experiment provided response curve data for calculation of economic recommendations for high rainfall barani areas. Responses varied significantly between years. In 1983-84, when drought occurred during the vegetative period, nitrogen response was low and was not profitable at an MRR equal to one. Phosphorus response was higher in 1983-84 but recommended rates were low (20 kg/P/ha for low wheat prices and 36 kg for a higher price). In 1984-85, a dry year, both N and P responses were significant. However, a land type by P interaction reduced the P recommendation for lepara land. At a MRR equal to one and low wheat prices 47-56 kg N-P was economic. In the wetter 1985-86, and 1986-87 years, N-response was greater resulting in more economic returns from N-fertiliser. In 1985-86 there was also a land type by P interaction that reduced the P recommendation on lepara land. The recommendations for mera and lepara land were 98-82 and 98-8 kg/ha N-P (at an MRR= 1 and low wheat prices). Land type by N and previous crop by N interactions complicated the recommendations in 1986-87. Maize grown before wheat significantly reduced wheat yields (-1535 kg) and needed more N for wheat. Use of farmyard manure increased wheat yields by 691 kg and N recommendations could be reduced on lands receiving this input. No phosphorus response was detected in this year. Recommendations ranged from 31 kg/ha of N on lepara land after fallow to 149 kg/ha of N on mera land after maize at a MRR= 1. Combined data analysis over the 4 years showed a significant year effect and year by N interaction. More nitrogen was needed in wet years than dry years with phosphorus levels remaining the same between years. The overall recommendation was 124-34 kg/ha of N-P for wet years versus 21-34 kg/ha for dry years at a MRR=l. It was recommended that some N and all P be applied basally and further N be top-dressed if rainfall is favourable to the end of tillering. In varietal trials, Pak-81, S-19 (Junco "S") and Barani-83 provided higher yields and greater rust resistance than the predominant farmer variety, Lyallpur-73. Weeds were not a serious problem. Broadleaf types were easily controlled by the relatively cheap phenoxy herbicides 2,4-D, MCPP or MCPA, or benzoic acid compounds like Dicamba. However, the common local practice of intercropping wheat and mustard rules out chemical weed control for most farmers. Recommendations in this report for barani wheat growing in the high rainfall areas should allow farmers to easily obtain an average yield of 4.0-4.5 tons/ha, in favourable years. Suggestions for further research are also given.
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