Performance of Wheat Under Crop Establishment Methods and Organic Fertilizer Complemented With Chemical N Fertilizer on Crop Water Productivity and Soil Health

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season 2020-21 at Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology Meerut (U.P.) India to study the “Performance of Wheat under Crop Establishment Methods and Organic Fertilizer Complemented with Chemical N Fertilizer on Crop Water Productivity and Soil Health”. The soil of the experimental field was well-drained, sandy loam in texture, and slightly alkaline. It was low in organic carbon and available nitrogen but medium in phosphorus and potassium. Four tillage crop establishment methods viz., T1 Furrow irrigated raised beds, T2 Roto tillage, T3 Reduced tillage, T4 Conventional tillage as main plots; and six nutrient management strategies i.e. N1 Control (No fertilizer use), N2 100% RDF, N3 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio stimulant, N4 75% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio stimulant, N5 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio stimulant + NPK (18:18:18) spray after II irrigation, N6 75% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio stimulant + NPK (18:18:18) spray after II irrigation was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Results of the experimental field were revealed that growth parameters viz., plant height, number of tillers, dry matter accumulation, CGR, and RGR were recorded significantly maximum under furrow irrigated raised beds (T1) being at par with reduced tillage (T3) and conventional tillage (T4). Among the yield attributes i.e. productive tillers, grains spike-1, spike length, and test weight were significantly increased in T1 which was statistically at par with T3 and T4. The grains, straw, and biological yield (44.28; 68.18 and 112.46 q ha-1) and harvest index (39.37%) were significantly higher under treatment T1. The maximum amount of water was extracted from 30-60 cm soil layer followed by 15-30 cm, 0-15 cm, and a minimum from 60-90 cm. The maximum water use efficiency (2.16 q ha-1 cm) and water productivity (1.88 kg cm-3) were recorded in furrow irrigated raised beds (T1) than all other treatments. Furrow irrigated raised beds recorded highest total NPK (118.97; 27.29 and 136.96 kg ha-1). The maximum available NPK in soil was recorded in treatment T3 (reduced tillage) followed by T4 (conventional tillage). Treatment T2 (roto tillage) minimizes 12.13% cost of cultivation over conventional tillage (T4). The maximum gross return was recorded into the treatment T1 followed by T4 and T3. Among nutrient management strategies, crop fertilized with nutrient management practice involving application of 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio-stimulant + NPK (18:18:18) spray after II irrigation recorded tallest plants (34.20 cm) with highest number of tillers m-2 (147.90 m-2) and dry matter accumulation (1185.6g m-2), while among the yield attributes number of grains per spike, spike length (cm), test weight and grain yield were significantly higher in nutrient management strategies, involving application of 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio-stimulant + NPK (18:18:18) spray after II irrigation ,over rest of nutrient management. Among different nutrient management practices maximum net return (Rs.73798) was found in nutrient management practice involving application of 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio-stimulant + NPK (18:18:18) spray after II irrigation which is very similar with 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio-stimulant (Rs.71630). Moreover, Net return was obtained with N5>N3> N6> N4>N2>N1 control. However, benefit cost ratio was found to be highest (2.15) with involving application of 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio-stimulant + NPK (18:18:18) spray after II irrigation targeted yield which also closely with 100% RDF + NPK consortia + Bio-stimulant (2.13) and lowest with control (1.48).