Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Management of
Indian Arid Rangelands
- R. S. Paroda
H. S. Mann
C.M. Verma
Autbors~ Addresses
*Present Address
Professor & Head
Department of Plant Breeding
Haryana Agricultural University
Hissar-125004, Haryana-India
H. S. MANN Director
Central Arid Zone Research Institu'
Jodhpur-342001, Rajasthan-India
Published on behalf of Dr. H. S Mann, Director. Central Arid Zone Research Institute,
Jodhpur by Shci B. R. Chowdhri, Press Manager at the Haryana Agricultural University
Press, Hissar.
CONTENTS
Pages
Foreword
1 Introduction 1
2 Environmental Conditions 4
2.1 Climate 4
2.2 Soils 5
3 Range Management Areas 6
.,.
4 Plant-Environment Relationship 8
4.1 Grass cover and ecological distribution 8
4.1.1 Sand dunes and sandy plains 8
4.1.2 Well drained sandy alluvial soils 9
4.1.3 Sandy clay loam to clay soils 9
4.1.4 Hilly and piedmont regions 9
4.1.5 Low lying heavy saline soils 9
4.2 Ecological in succession in protected areas 10
4.3 Management for yield improvement ... 11
4.3.1 Fencing 11
-1
4.3.2 Adoption of soil and water conservalion measures 13
4.3.3 Reseeding in rangelands 15
4.3.4 Genetically improved strains of grasses 17
4.3.5 Fertilization 19
4.3.6 Role of legumes 21
4.3.7 Forage conservation and preservation ... 24
4.4 Silvi-pastoral management 25
-4.5 Grass seed production and distribution 26
5 Animal-Environment Relationship 28
5.1 Stocking rate in areas 28
C.2 Grazing management 28
.1.2.1 Continuous vis deferred grazing 29
5.2.2 Continuous vis rotational grazing 29
S.2.3 Continuous vis deferred rotational grazing 29
5.2.4 Mixed grazing 31
5.2.5 Seasonal grazing 31
5.2.6 Goats vIs sbeep grazin~ 3l
6 P-roduction from Rangeland Management 32
6.1 Primary production 32
6.2 Secondary production 34
7 Future Research Needs 36
8 Conclusion 38
Acknowledgements 38
References
Appendix I iii
Appendix II v
Appendix III vi
FOREWORD
The Indian desert is unique in the sense that it sustains the highest
population density per unit of land. Escalation of human and livestock
population, besides the climatic and geomorphological factors, has been the
major cause of desertification. Obviously, in order to combat the process of
desertification, what is required is to have the rational utilization of available
soil, water, plant and animal resources in rangelands. In thiS context, adop-
tion of proper ldnd use pattern is necessary so as not to disturb the ecological
balance.
Over the last two decades, considerable work has been carried out on
rangeland management at the Central And Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur
and vast scientitic data have accumulated both on tbe pnmary and secondary
productivity _
Sd/-
(0. P. GAUTAM)
Director General
Dated: January 18, 1980 Indi~n Council of Agricultural Research
NEW DELHI. New Delhi-il0 001
MANAGEMENT OF
INDIAN ARID RANGELANDS
1. INTRODUCTION:
2
Fig. 2 (b); Sheep and goats rai,ed en reDuced gTilssJaoa
2.1. Climate:
1600
400
o BHOPALGARH
200 ~ BORUNDA
ARID AREAS
:~
300'
./\
:'
200 0. IQTOLAI
100
Fig. 3': Annual rainfall distribution in arid and semi-arid rangeland of western
Rajasthan
4
raising winds and dust storms occur. Temperature drops to 14-16"C
in December-January with absolute minimum rarely less than 4C.
The mean value of vapour presure in winter is less than
10 mb. The relative humidity, however, is high especially in the
mornings owing to very low temperature. The values of vapour
pressure during monsoon exoeed 25 mb and relative humidity
ranges from 75 to 80 per cent in the mornings and 50 to 60 per cent
in the afternoons.
Potential evapo-transpiration during summer varies from 7
to 9 rom per day, whereas in monsoon it varies from 5.2 to 7 mm
per day.
2.2. Soils:
Soils are pale brown to light yellowish and greenish brown
in colour, sandy to sandy loam in texture, loose and structureless.
Major soil distribution is depicted in Fig. 4. The dune sand is
generally constituting of 63.7-87.3 pelr cent fine and 11.3 to 30.3
per cent coarse sand with 1.8 to 4.5 per cent clay and 0.4.-3.1 per
cent silt (Dhir, 1977).
SOIL DISTRIBUTION IN
WESTERN RAJASTHAN
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7
Lawan, Khetolai, Chandan, JaisaImer, Samdari and Beechwal re-
present arid conditions, whereas rest of the six areas namely,
Bhopalgarh, Borunda, Jadan, Bisalpur, Jaswantgarh and Palsana
represent semi-arid conditions having more than 40 mm rainfall
annually.
4. PLANT-ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIPS:
8'
purea. Some of the weeds and shrubs are Tribulus t~rrestris. T.
alatus, Farsetia hamiltonii, Pulicaria wightiana, Citrullus colocyn-
this, HeIiotropium strigosum, Sericostoma pauciflorum, Haloxylon
saJicornicum, Aerva javaniCa, Calotropis procera, CrQtalaria bur-
hi a, Leptadenia barbarum, Capparis decidua and Zi:/iyphus num-
mularia.
9
4.2. Ecological succession in protected' areaS:
,
\
I!*r-tf"'l-\
1!~~tC1~~~ml~j
\1 ~
!l8 Cenchrus setlQerus
0IcI\anIh1um CIIIl'AIlotum
1r:t~it:-+-J-+'--h.i--.lH_"'~:iird!:lP/----;?jt'-1fil 1-' .<t 0ac1)'I0ct8llium ~
I~~~:-ikokk:b:::b~~tr-T:m~ ~ Cynodon dac.fyIon
['::;(": I Eleuslne COmpf8ssa
_ He1erllP09011 contorlus
!,}g'i.rl Eremopatan faveolatus
EEIl Arlstida funlculola
~ DI~arla marlilnatp
~ Bracharla remosa
m Chloris virQOla
~ Arlslida adscansalnes
_ Balanites O8IIYPtlca
10
order to get a proper estimate of area covered and 'subsequent
spread by different plant species.
4.3.1. Fencing:
11
, -
Fig. 7 (a): Stone post and barbed wire fencing at range-management area-
Borunda
Fig. 7. (b): ArIgie iron P')3ts and barb~d wire fencinl at ra.n.J~-:Illnlg"m,at
area -Khetolai
12
TABLE 2
13
\
14
proved to be mor~ effe{!tiv~ than any other soil conservation
measures, viz. contour bunds and staggered contour 'trenches.
Moreover, contour furrows are cheapest to maintain in the :long run.
Cost of such works is Rs. 150-200 per hectare depending upon the
terrain. Contour furrows help in increasing the fo:rage' production
from, on an average, 4 q/ha to 15-20 q/ha in a period of 10-15 years
(Fig. 8 c). :
15
before sowing. Results have shown that reseeding with local seed,
of 'Climax species' increased, the forage productivity to about 20 \"
q/ha.
TABLE 3
16
Fig. 10: Staggered micro-pits made from Pitting Discer
4.3.4. Genetically improved strains of grasses:
Improved strains of grasses hav! the genetic product1on po-
tential of ,even higher than 40 q/ha and',. therefore, should be used
lor reseeding program. Extensive research in Agrostology at
CAZRI has shown that some of the improved strains (Fig. 11 a, l1b,
18
,
11 c) are CAZRI NOSL 357, 358, 303, 214, IGFRI 3108 and Molapo
(from Australia) of Cenchrus '~iliaris, CAZRI Nos. 175, 296 arid 416
of Cenchrus setigerus, CAZRI Nos. 318, 319 and 565 of Lasiurus
sindicus and CAZRI Nos.' 491 and 495 of Dichanthium annulatum.
These strains have shown both stabifity for production as well as
better persistence over years at some of the testing locations re-
I
4.3.5. Fertilization:
19
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20
4.3.6. Role of legumes: -
21
\
22
Fig. 12 (c): Clitoria ternatea
23
4.3.7. Forage Conservation and Preservation:
\
Recurring droughts are <;ommon features in the arid regions.
which often result in shortage of forage. To overcome this difficulty,
conservation of fodder is most essential. Moreover, it has also
been experienced that the livestock generally start loosing weight
from November onwards which obviously is a reflection of decline '
in the quality of growing forage. Timely harvesting and the pre-
servation of forage will ensure both' the quality and regular supply
of forage.
All the four methods of hay making i.e. (i) Ground method,
(ii) Tripod method, (iii) Farm fences, and (iv) Use of thatched huts.
open on all sides, with racks having open bottoms and length across
the wind din~ction, are suitable for arid grasses like Cenchrus, Di-
chanthium, Lasiurus and Panicum. For better results, plants should
be harvested at pre-flowering stage in the morning hours and kept
on ground/tripod/farm fence etc. for sun drying. Freshly cut
grass contains approximately 75 per cent water, whereas a good
hay should contain only 10 per cent moisture. When kept dry in
stacks (Fig. 13), hay will invariably store well for long, without
any further decline in quality. To reduce the chances of any pos-
sible spoilage, stacked hay could be covered by a canvas tarpaulin.
26
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27
5. ANIMAL-ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSIlIP :
28
Iy. Results of studies conducted by the Range Management Section
of this Institute on different systems of grazing management in the
rangelands representing varying agroclimatic conditions of western
Rajasthan are briefly summarised in this portion.
29
Fig. 15: Heifers grazing on Lasiurus sindicus rangeland
30
grazing management did not influence growth rate of animals
(yearling heifers) on any type of rangelands studied. However, the
growth rate varied from year to year. During the year' of sub-
normal and above normal rainfall, growth rate of yearling heifers
on Lasiurus-Eleusine-Aristida cover varied froin 45.0 to 58.0 kgl
animal/year, it ranged from 66.2 to 73.3 kg/animal/year on Sporo-
bolus-Desmostachiya-Cyperus cove'r and 54.8 to 87.3 kg/an'imal!year
on Dichanthium-Aristida cover (Verma and Ahuja, 1979).
31
spring (February-April) and summer (May-July) was 27.6, 14.0, 10.1'
and 4.3 kg/animal, respecti~elly giving a tQtal growth of 47.4 kg!
animal. Losses in body weight of animals during summer was due
to quality of the forage, high temperature and hot wind velocity etc.
32
useful in~ormation .. Results,on different aspects of rangelan9 mana-
gement for increased, primary productivity are given in brief:
34
The growth rate of Mifers observed to be the highest ii:{! 'the
-treatment where animals grazed on the basis of carrying capacity
(light intensity) O'f the rangeland as compared to medium and heavy
intensities of grazing. Feeding of concentrates from January-July;
to meet the gigestible crude 'protein (DCP) and the total digestible
nutrients (TDN) practically doubled the growth rate in comparison to'
grazing based on carrying capacity. .
35
heifer and 35-40 g:m/day/ramlamb can thus he achieved on w~l
managed rangelands in arid zone of western Rajasthan. In a recent\
study, it has been seen that animals (heifers) of same age are capable
of producing 50-300 per cent more body weight on rangelands during
July-December as compared to animals of same age maintained by
the local villagers. It has also been found that in range manage-
ment areas heifers take only 21 years for the first calving as against
normally 3~-4 years with the cattle owners.
36
I '\
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
R. S. Parada
H. S. Mann
C. M. Verma
38
REFERENCES
Dabadghao, P. M., 1960. Types of grass covers in India and their mana-
gement. Proc. Eighth International Grassland Congress 9-4/5.
c. ANNUAL' GRASSES
Aristida funiculata Lampra
Aristida adscensionis Lampra
Bracheria ramosa Kuri
Cenchrus biflorus Bhurat
Cenchrus prieurii Lamb Bhurat
Chloris virgata Chinki
Dig'itaria marginata Jherania
EchniocIoa colonum Jirio
Eragrostis tremula Chirighas
Eragrostis cilial'is Under-puncho
Tetrapogon teneUus Kagio
Tragus biflorus Charchara
ii:
D. LEGUMES
Cassia auriculata Anwal
Indigofera cordifolia Bakeria
Indigofera linifolia Bakeria
Tephrosia purpurea Dhrunasa
Tephrosia p.etrosa Dhamasa
Phaseo!us trilobus Chiri moth
Rhyncosia minima Tapni-bel
LEGUME SEEDS