Factors Affecting the Adoption of Zero Tillage Wheat in the Rice–Wheat Systems of India and Pakistan

Abstract

Zero tillage planting of wheat after rice has been the main success in the quest for resource-conserving technologies that can save water, reduce production costs and improve production in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, the cereal bowl of South Asia. Binomial logit models are used to assess the structural factors associated with its adoption in the rice-wheat systems of India's Haryana state and Pakistan's Punjab province. Zero tillage adoption is closely associated with a more favourable resource base and rice-wheat specialization in both study areas. This calls for a closer consideration of equity implications in future research and development.

Nutrient Use Pattern in the Irrigated Rice-Wheat Cropping System in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of Haryana, India

“…Erenstein et al . (2007) also reported similar trend of N use (180, 159 and 103 and 187 kg N ha −1 in superfine, evolved basmati, traditional basmati and wheat, respectively) in the rice-wheat zone of irrigated Haryana. For traditional basmati, farmers restricted the use of N up to three splits (73.1% within two splits); however, increase in number of splits corresponding to the increase in quantity was observed in evolved basmati and superfine rice.…”

“…The more widespread use of FYM for rice than wheat has been reported previously (Sidhu et al ., 1998) and is associated with the favourable temperature and more turnaround time after the wheat harvest to allow its decomposition and mineralization-immobilization turnover in the field (including the time when rice seedlings are in nursery) resulting in greater availability of nutrients to rice. Large-scale adoption of zero tillage wheat in the region and short turnaround time after rice harvest (Erenstein et al ., 2007) have restricted the use of FYM in wheat as application of FYM needs tillage operations for its incorporation and time for decomposition.…”

“…Since N is used more frequently where assured irrigation facilities are available and the crop growing season is long, large farmers applied N to their crops more frequently. Farmers in this region have almost assured irrigation (particularly during rabi /winter season) and chemical weed management is most common in the wheat crop (Erenstein et al ., 2007). All these factors lead to an augmented response of the crop to N application.…”

“…Out of the total area, the major portion was under rice (88.55%) and wheat (87.66%) during the respective crop seasons (Table 1). Rice and wheat provide the bulk of the farm income, on average an 85% share in the rice-wheat zone of irrigated Haryana (Erenstein et al ., 2007). We hypothesized that there are a number of differences between the three land holding size categories, and that these may help explain the observed nutrient management practices.…”

Adoption of BRRI dhan49 by the Farmers of Bogura Sadar Upazila in Bangladesh

“…As a result, the contribution from each season also changed-Aman rice previously contributed a major portion of total rice, but Boro is now the major contributor to total rice production in the country, despite Aman coverage area is greater [4,5]. Aus, Aman, and Boro rice were recently reported to account for 7%, 38%, and 55%, respectively, of the total rice production in Bangladesh [6,7]. Bangladesh has made notable progress in sustaining respectable growth in rice production, and this growth in production has originated mostly from the shift from low-yielding traditional to highyielding modern varieties when irrigation facilities were developed [8,9].…”