Karnataka

The cultivated area of the state is 9.85 million ha comprising 51.4% of the total geographical area. The net irrigated area is 2.38 million ha constituting 24% of the total cultivated area. The red and black soils are deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus and zinc. The important crops are rice, fingermillet (ragi), sorghum, pearlmillet, pigeonpea, groundnut, sunflower and safflower. The major constraints for increasing agriculture production in the area are large dependence on rainfall and low productivity of the existing rice-rice system. Suggested interventions for natural resource management for agriculture in the state are as follows:

� Site-specific nutrient management on 1 million ha in rice-rice system to produce 2.1 million tonnes of

  additional paddy/annum

� Diversification of rice-rice with rice-groundnut on 2 lakh ha to get 0.32 million tonnes additional rice

  equivalent production

� Growing aerobic rice by dibbling technique saves substantial quantity of seed (50 kg/ha)

� Integrated farming system consisting of rice+dairy+sericulture on 0.5 m ha to enhance household

  income by Rs 10,000/ha

� Water harvesting in farm ponds for supplemental irrigation

Rice

The state has 1.3 million ha under rice cultivation, which is mainly irrigated area. The area has decreased from 1.45 to 1.30 million ha during last seven years. The state average productivity is 3.4 tonnes/ha. The major constraint in production is the zinc deficiency. Suggested interventions are:

� Growing of hybrids KRH 2, PA 6201, 6444 and Suruchi

� System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to save water and seed cost

� Balanced use of major and minor nutrients

Maize

There is an increasing trend in the area, production and productivity of maize in Karnataka. Maize is grown in all the three seasons in an area of 936,000 ha, with an annual production of 273,000 tonnes and productivity of 2.9 tonnes/ha. The major area is under kharif cultivation with hybrids. Non-availability of high-yielding single cross hybrid seed and susceptibility to downy mildew disease are the major impediments in boosting productivity. Suitable interventions are:

� Growing of early maturing hybrids DMH 1, DMH 2 and Prakash

� Use of resistant variety NAC 6002 and NAC 6004

� Seed treatment with matalaxyl @ 2 g/kg seed to control downy mildew