Effect of Different Moisture Conservation Techniques on Nutrient Availability, Water Use Efficiency and Productivity of Wheat

Abstract

The investigation entitled “Effect of Different Moisture Conservation Techniques on Nutrient Availability, Water Use Efficiency and Productivity of Wheat (Triticum aestivum)”was carried out at the Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, U.P. during Rabi season of 2018-19. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design considering the irrigation levels as main plot and moisture conservation techniques as sub plot treatments with three replications. The irrigation levels consisted of I1– (5 irrigations at CRI, tillering, booting, milking and dough stage), I2– (3 irrigation at CRI, tillering and booting stage), I3– (2 irrigation at CRI and booting stage) and moisture conservation techniques consisted M1 – Control (no moisture conservation techniques), M2 - Rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1), M3 - application of Pusa hydrogel (3kg /Acre), M4- seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF6) @ 4 g kg-1 seed, M5- Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF2) @ 4 g kg-1 seed and M6- Seed treatment with (IRRI-1) @ 4 g kg-1 seed. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen and organic carbon, medium in available phosphorus, potassium, zinc and alkaline in reaction. Wheat variety HD-2967 was grown as a test crop. Treatments effect was evaluated in term of plant growth parameters, yield and yield attributed and nutrient content and uptake, nutrient availability in soil and water use efficiency and field water use efficiency of crop. Result reveal that plant height, dry matter accumulation increased with I1 (5 irrigation) and I2 (3 irrigation). Among the yield attributes number of grains per spike, spike length (cm), numbers of spikelet per spike and test weight increased significantly in I1 (5 irrigation), respectively. The improvement in grain yield 8.74 and 17.38 % over I2 and I3 respectively was due to maximum supply of water under I1 (5 irrigation). Among the moisture conservation techniques, the higher plant height and dry matter accumulation was recorded with the application of rice residue incorporate @ 5 ton ha-1. Similarly yield attributes. NPK content and uptake, water use efficiency, were significantly higher with rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1 followed by pusa hydrogel. In combination of the treatment I1M2 (5 irrigations with rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1) was recorded higher grain yield over rest of treatments. The maximum water use efficiency was recorded in the treatment combination I3M2 (2irrigation with rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1). Irrigation treatments combination with M2 (rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1) had higher water use efficiency. Maximum gross return was observed in treatment combination I1M2 (5irrigation with rice residues@ 5 ton ha-1). Among treatments, maximum net return and B: C ratio was recorded under I1M2 (Five irrigation with rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1. Among the microbial inoculate PF-6 was found better in respect & all parameters.