Longterm system comparision trials in tropics (SysCOM) India

This experiment has been added by the GLTEN Curators using existing published sources.
Local identifier
(SysCOM) India
Years operational
2007—
Objective
SysCom India is one of three trials in three different countries (Kenya, India, Bolivia) assessing the effects of conventional and organic farming.
Description
Since 2007, SysCom India has been comparing the production of Cotton, soybean and wheat in a two-year crop rotation, under different management systems namely: (i) organic, (ii) biodynamic, (iii) conventional, and (iv) conventional with genetically modified Bt cotton. These systems represent local farming systems and reflect the prevailing concerns of farmers, farmers’ organizations and politicians. Since 2019, chickpea crop has been included as a rotational crop in organic systems to reflect farmer practices in the region. Data collection started in 2007. Parameters such as weather, agronomic and economic performance, soil fertility, nutrient contents in plant materials, as well as diversity of insects and weeds are assessed
Data Access Statement
Don't know
Data license
Don't know
Data policy
Don't know
Organizations
bioRe India Association
research organisation
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
research organisation
People
Vivek Rawal
BioRe Association
 BioRe Association, 5th km Milestone Mandleshwar road Kasrawad, MP, India
Akanksha Singh
principal investigator
Research Institute of Organic agriculture (FiBL)
 Ackerstrasse 113 5070 Frick, Switzerland
Eva Goldmann
experiment manager
Research Institute of Organic agriculture (FiBL)
 Ackerstrasse 113 5070 Frick, Switzerland
Chigusa Keller
data manager
Research Institute of Organic agriculture (FiBL)
 Ackerstrasse 113 5070 Frick, Switzerland
Ishwar Patidar
site manager
BioRe Association
 BioRe Association, 5th km Milestone Mandleshwar road Kasrawad, MP, India

Site: LTE Site

Type
research station field
Location
Khargone
Madhya Pradesh
India
Geographic location
22.141744, 75.630269
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Visits permitted?
No
Soil type
vertisol
Soil properties
VariableDepthValue (range)UnitsRef yearEstimated?Baseline?
soil weight23 – 46 Centimetres3.1 10^2 kg/ha
soil weight23 – 46 Centimetres (2.52 – 2.88) 10^2 kg/ha2010
soil pH0 – 23 Centimetres (7 – 7.5)
Olsen P0 – 23 Centimetres10
Climatic type
Hot semi-arid climate
Climate description
The climate is semi-arid, with an average annual precipitation of 800 mm in a single peak monsoon season, usually lasting from mid-June to September. Temperature ranges from 15 - 49°C and is highest in May/June and lowest in December/January.
Climate properties
VariableTime periodValue (range)Units
precipitation800 millimeter
air temperature29 (15 – 49) degree Celsius

Design period: (2007—)

Design description
The experiment tests a two year rotation, with half of the plots in the first rotation phase and the other half in the second rotation phase.
Number of plots
32
Number of replicates
4
Number of harvests per year
2
Crops
CropYears grown
cotton
soybeans
wheat
chickpea
Crop Rotations
Cotton-wheat-soybean  2007—2018
  • 1
    cotton
  • 2
    wheat
  • 3
    soybeans
Cotton-chickpea-wheat  2019—
  • 1
    cotton
  • 2
    chickpea
  • 3
    wheat
Factor
Factor name
Factor levels
farming system
biodynamic agriculture
Includes green manuring and intercropping, non-GM cotton. Pest control is by manual weeding and organic pesticides.
organic agriculture
Includes green manuring and intercropping, non-GM cotton. Pest control is by manual weeding and organic pesticides.
conventional agriculture
No green manuring or intercropping. Non GM-cotton. Pest control is by manual weeding and synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
GM agriculture
No green manuring or intercropping. GM Bt-cotton. Pest control is by manual weeding and synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
seed fibre qualitycotton
grain yield traitNot specifiedt/haSoya bean, Wheat, Chickpea
air temperatureNot specified
precipitationNot specified
soil organic carbonSoil%
soil nitrogenSoil
soil phosphorousSoil
soil potassiumSoil
soil densitySoilg/cm3
soil pHSoil
electrical conductivitySoil
nitrogen contentAll cropsppm
phosphorous contentAll cropsppm
potassium contentAll cropsppm
plant biomassAll cropsaboveground dry biomass
biodiversityNot specifiedSucking pests: aphids, jassids, thrips, whiteflies, mealybuds, chewing pests, bollworms, beneficial insects
cotton bollcottont/ha

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