The continuous rice–wheat cropping system in South Asia has caused irreversible environmental damage, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the region’s agricultural systems. To address this issue, farm experiments were conducted for two successive years (2019–20 and 2020–21) to assess the impact of different cropping systems under conservation agriculture (CA) practices on the yield, productivity, and profitability of wheat. Results showed that the highest grain yield of wheat was observed in scenarios Sc6, Sc4, and Sc2, which involved full CA permanent-bed soybean (PB)–permanent-bed wheat (PB)–permanent-bed summer moong (PB), full CA permanent-bed maize (PB)–permanent-bed wheat (PB)–permanent-bed summer moong (PB), and partial CA puddled transplanted rice–Happy Seeder wheat–zero-till summer moong (ZT). Additionally, the highest irrigation water productivity (IWP), wheat grain macronutrient uptake, net return, and benefit–cost ratio (B:C ratio) were recorded under Sc6, full CA permanent-bed soybean (PB)–permanent-bed wheat (PB)–permanent-bed summer moong (PB) compared to farmers’ practice puddled transplanted rice (PTR)–conventional-till wheat–summer moong (Sc1) during both years. The system productivity also increased in scenarios Sc2, Sc4, and Sc6 (by 9.72%, 9.65%, and 14.14% in the first year and 10.68%, 14.14%, and 15.55% in the second year) compared to Sc1—farmers’ practice puddled transplanted rice (PTR)–conventional-till wheat–summer moong, Sc3—farmers’ practice fresh-bed maize (FB)–conventional-till wheat–summer moong, and Sc5–farmers’ practice fresh-bed soybean (FB)–conventional-till wheat (CT)–summer moong. The findings suggest that the conservation agriculture soybean–wheat–summer moong (Sc6) on permanent-bed cropping systems with inclusion legumes can be a potential option to enhance yield attributes, productivity, and profitability, as well as the sustainability of natural resources in the region while decreasing environmental footprints.
The majority of tropical and subtropical soils are acidic which are mostly deficient in phosphorus and have strong phosphorus sorption capacity. Exploring different phosphorus inputs is essential not only to increase crop production but also to improve soil phosphorus status to avoid further soil degradation. Acidic nature of the soils of these regions help to solubilize the rock phosphate and increases the amount of phosphorus that is made available to the plants. A pot experiment was conducted in Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal (Manipur) during kharif season of 2021 to study the effect of rock phosphate, single super phosphate and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria on phosphorus concentration and dry matter yield of paddy. To each experimental pot, recommended dose of 60 kg of N ha-1 in the form of urea and 30 kg K2O ha-1 in the form of muriate of potash were applied as basal and thoroughly mixed with the soil. Rock phosphate and single super phosphate were administered to the pots as phosphorus sources according to different sets of treatment based on the recommended amount of 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 for paddy. Seeds were treated with Bacillus megatherium. Result revealed that the changes in soil phosphorus concentration and dry matter yield of paddy were significantly affected by rock phosphate applied either singly or in combination with single super phosphate and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria. All the parameters showed different trend of changes during the whole crop growth stages till harvest. Among the treatments higher values were recorded in soil treated with T10 (50% recommended dose of P2O5 from single super phosphate + 50% recommended dose of P2O5 from rock phosphate + phosphorus solubilizing bacteria). Addition of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria enhances release of less soluble and fixed forms into easily available form as well as reduces phosphorus fixation. Efficiency of rock phosphate as phosphorus source for crop production is improved by the solubility effect of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria.
A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2019 at College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur. The experiment included the combination of two soil tillage systems viz., Conventional Tillage (L1) and Minimum Tillage (L2) and four different mulching materials viz., No mulch (M1); Rice straw mulch (M2); Polythene mulch (M3) and Tree leave mulch (M4). The Experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with different levels of tillage (main plot), and mulching materials (subplot) and each treatment were replicated thrice. The growth and yield of Indian mustard were influenced by different tillage practices and mulching. Maximum plant height (165.33 cm.), number of siliquae per plant (197) and seed yield (1790 kg/ha ) and oil yield (692 kg/ha) were recorded in a combination of (L1M3) which received in Conventional tillage + Polythene mulch and minimum seed yield was recorded in a combination of (L2M1) 1441 kg/ha which received in Minimum tillage + No mulch. Maximum harvest index was recorded in a combination of (L1M2) 27.50% which was received in Conventional tillage +Rice straw mulch and minimum harvest index was recorded in a combination of (L1M4) 24.13% which was received in Conventional tillage + Tree leaves to mulch. The highest benefit-cost ratio (0.72) was recorded in Minimum tillage + Rice straw mulch because there was less input cost for tillage or ploughing activities and mulching material cost. The highest energy use efficiency, and energy productivity but lowest specific energy was observed in Minimum tillage with No mulch and energy use efficiency, and energy productivity but highest specific energy was observed in Minimum tillage with Rice straw mulch.
A field experiment was carried out at Research Farm Kakli, Eternal University, Baru Sahib (H.P.) during Rabi season of 2021-22 to study the “Growth Attributes and their Interaction in Toria (Brassica campestris) as Influenced by Various Levels of Phosphorus and Sulphur in Mid Hill Zone of Himachal Pradesh.” The trial comprised of two factors (phosphorus and sulphur) which prepared twelve treatment combinations and positioned out in factorial randomized block design (FRBD) and replicated thrice to attain the unvarying and unbiased results. The texture of soil was sandy loam with pH 7.12.The twelve treatment combinations comprising four phosphorus levels (15-30-45-60 kg P2O5 /ha) and three levels of sulphur (20-30-40 kg S /ha). It was ascertained that significantly higher plant height, number of leaves /plant, number of branches /plant and dry weight /plant, were reported under treatment P4 i.e. 60 kg P2O5 /ha. Amongst the several levels of sulphur, significantly higher growth attributes i.e. plant height, number of leaves /plant, number of branches /plant and dry weight /plant were reported under treatment S3 i.e. 40 kg S /ha.
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