Improving Crop Water Productivity in Wheat under Rice-Wheat Cropping System through Tillage Crop Establishment Methods in Sandy Loam Soil of western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology Meerut (U.P.) India to study the “Improving Crop Water Productivity in Wheat under Rice-Wheat Cropping System through Tillage Crop Establishment Methods in Sandy Loam Soil of western Uttar Pradesh”. 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. Eight tillage crop establishment methods viz., T1 Conventional flood irrigation, T2 Furrow irrigated with gated pipe (Raised beds), T3 All furrow irrigated, T4 Alternate furrow irrigated, T5 Wide bed furrow irrigated, T6 Skip furrow irrigated, T7 Sprinkler irrigation, T8 Zero till flat irrigated by gated pipe (Controlled flood irrigation) and one late sown variety of wheat was tested in a randomized block design (RBD). Results of the experimental field were revealed that growth parameters viz., plant height, number of tillers, dry matter accumulation, CGR, RGR, AGR, LAI, and NAR were recorded significantly maximum under wide bed furrow irrigated (T5) being at par with zero till flat irrigated by gated pipe (T8) and furrow irrigated with gated pipe raised bed (T2). Among the yield attributes i.e. productive tillers, grains spike-1, spike length, and test weight were significantly increased in T5 which was statistically at par with T8 and T2. The grains, straw, and biological yield (43.65 and 44.98; 61.75 and 62.00; 105.40 and 106.98 q ha-1) and harvest index (41.41 and 42.05%) were significantly higher under treatment T5. 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 (2.85 and 2.87 q ha-1 cm) and water productivity (1.88 and 1.93 kg cm-3) were recorded in sprinkler irrigation (T7) than all other treatments. Wide bed furrow irrigated recorded highest total NPK (111.52 and 117.69; 26.62 and 26.78; 126.52 and 128.05 kg ha-1). Significantly more protein content (9.91 and 10.20%), hectoliter weight (81.17 and 82.43 kg HL-1) were recorded in treatment T5 and statistically at par with T8. The maximum available NPK in soil was recorded in treatment T6 (skip furrow irrigated) followed by T4 (alternate furrow irrigated). The maximum population of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, microbial-C, and microbial-N were recorded in treatment T8 (zero-till flat irrigated by gated pipe controlled flood irrigation) followed by T5 (wide bed furrow irrigated) and T2 (furrow irrigated with gated pipe raised bed). Treatment T8 (wide bed furrow irrigated by gated pipe controlled flood irrigation) minimizes 14.63% cost of cultivation over conventional flood irrigation (T1). The maximum gross return was recorded into the treatment T5 followed by T8 and T2. The maximum net return and B: C ratio was recorded in zero-till flat irrigated by gated pipe controlled flood irrigation followed by T5 (wide bed furrow irrigated) and T7 (sprinkler irrigation).