Performance of various rainwater conservation treatments in Nagpur mandarin growing in vertisols

Abstract

Management of natural resources, including soil and water is one of the key factors for sustainable production of any farming system. The uneven distribution of rain in space and time induces abundant runoff and soil erosion, results in bulk loss of available nutrients from cultivated lands, affecting the productivity. Around 1,52,000 ha area is under Nagpur mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco), which is mostly established on vertisols on gently sloppy lands in Central India is also affected by runoff (Huchche et al., 5). The higher runoff in monsoon period and soil moisture shortage in post monsoon during critical growth stages induces the poor growth and establishment of young plants in this region.