Studies on Tillage and Nutrient Management Practices in Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Preceded by Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)

Abstract

Attaining and sustaining food security has been the major concerns before the nation since independence i.e. Further, viewing increasing input use with declining efficiency trends, deteriorating soil health, depleting water resources, pollution, and narrowing profits at the end of farmers, the investigation on “Studies on tillage and nutrient management practices in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) preceded by rice (Oryza sativa L.)” was carried out during 2014-16 on well drained sandy loam soil, low in organic carbon (0.49%) and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and potassium with slightly alkaline reaction at SVPUAT, Meerut (U.P.). Twelve treatments viz. Zero- Till Wheat (T1), Reduced- Tillage (T2), Conventional-Tillage (T3), furrow irrigated raised bed {FIRB (37 cm)}- equal seed rate (ESR) + equal fertilizer rate (EFR) (T4), FIRB (37 cm)- RSR + EFR (T5), FIRB (37 cm)- RSR + RFR (T6), FIRB (60 cm)- ESR + EFR (T7), FIRB (60 cm)- RSR + EFR (T8), FIRB (60 cm)- RSR + RFR (T9), FIRB (75 cm)- ESR + EFR (T10), FIRB (75 cm)- RSR + EFR (T11) and FIRB (75 cm)- RSR + RFR (T12) were tested in randomized block design with three replications. The sources of fertilizers were Urea, DAP and MOP. Wheat variety PBW 550 was sown in 3rd week of November, grown as per recommended practices except the treatments and harvested in 3rdweek of April. The crop sown on FIRB 75 cm with RSR + EFR had better growth in terms of plant height, number of tillers and dry matter accumulation attributed to higher LAI, CGR, LAD, root length and root weight as compared all other treatments during both the years. Consequently, length of spike, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike and test weight were also higher in crop with FIRB 75 cm and RSR + EFR, irrespective of the years. The crop gave 60 and 61 % more grain yield, 39 and 38% straw yield and 47 and 48% biological yield under the treatments over FIRB 37cm with RSR+RFR during 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Similar results were put forward by Kong et al. (2010), also. Moreover, N, P and K content and their uptake were also higher with FIRB 75 cm with RSR + EFR. Soil properties viz., aggregate stability, infiltration and hydraulic conductivity and available N, P, K were higher in the plots having crop with FIRB 75 cm + RSR + EFR during both the years. However, reverse trends were noted for bulk density and pH which were higher with FIRB 37cm + RSR+RFR. Furthermore, highest monetary return viz., gross return (89977 & 104940), net return (55372 & 68048) and B:C ratio (1.26 & 1.28) were fetched under FIRB 75 cm RSR + EFR irrespective of the years. The next higher profitable treatment was FIRB 60 cm with RSR + EFR system. Such monetary advantages have also been recorded by Singh and Aggarwal (2001). Thus, wheat crop need to be sown using FIRB (75 cm) system with RSR + EFR or FIRB (60 cm) with RSR + EFR to achieve higher yield and profitability.