Influence of Wheat Establishment Techniques and Previous Kharif Season Crops on Productivity, Profitability, Water Use Efficiency, Energy Indices and Soil Properties in Central India

Abstract

A three-year field study was conducted to explore the efficacy of wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop establishment techniques comprising conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), zero tillage (ZT) and broad bed furrow (BBF) after harvest of kharif (rainy) season crops of paddy (Oryza sativa), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucam) and cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba). Pooled data showed that yield attributing characters and grain yield of wheat were significantly higher which was recorded under BBF followed by ZT, CT & MT. Likewise significantly, higher grain yield was recorded after harvest of pigeon pea followed by pearl millet, paddy and cluster bean, respectively. Grain yield of wheat grown after previous kharif season crops was significantly higher under BBF after harvest of paddy, pigeon pea and pearl millet, whereas ZT proved to be better after harvest of cluster bean. The study revealed that BBF method saved maximum of US$ 101 ha -1 followed by ZT (US$ 76 ha -1 ) and MT (US$ 43 ha -1 ) as compared with total cost of production under CT (US$ 497 ha -1 ). Net return was higher by 199 US$ ha -1 with BBF and US$ 156 ha -1 with ZT compared with CT (US$ 844 ha -1 ). Total water use by wheat was higher after cluster bean (38.6 cm) and least after paddy (35.7 cm). Total water use by wheat establishment techniques was 10.6 cm and 2.7 cm higher under CT compared with BBF and ZT, respectively. The delayed establishment of wheat after CT required more energy, while timely sown crop needed less energy and produced more energy, use efficiency and productivity of energy. After harvest of third crop of wheat, physicochemical properties significantly improved sown after pigeon pea compared to other kharif season crops. The overall improvement of physicochemical properties under BBF followed by ZT compared with MT and CT.

Surface Seeding of Wheat: A Sustainable Way towards Climate Resilience Agriculture

“…A brief review comparing the work conducted on the effects of SS implementation on wheat productivity is presented in Table 2. Contrasting results are demonstrated regarding wheat productivity, varying froma0.3 to 25% increase [15][16][17][18]. Generally, increased crop yields under SS are attributed to the improved soil properties, including water infiltration rate, higher SOC, soil aggregation, moisture-and nutrient-availability, and microbial activity [12,16,[19][20][21][22][23].…”

“…Management practices based on SS utilize residual moisture, reduce pre-sowing irrigation, and present an immense capability to resolve the issue, as it enhances water-use efficiency (Table 3). This could prove to be advantageous for the IGP, where farmlands are facing acute water shortages, and the lowering of the water table in some of the RW areas as a repercussion of extreme groundwater pumping [12,18,33]. Progress in crop water productivity (CWP) holds the promise of food security, as well as water sustainability in RW cropping systems of the IGP [13,34,50,52].…”

“…Glyphosate [N-(phosphor no methyl) glycine], a broad-spectrum herbicide, is mainly used in the absence of extensive tillage to manage weed infestation [38,44,49]. In addition to glyphosate, other herbicides, such as 2,4-D (2,4dichlorophenoxy acetic acid), clodinafop-ethyl, metsulfuron, sulfosulfuron, etc., are applied to control the weeds [18,32]. Indisputably, countries that previously used relatively higher amounts of herbicides are already experiencing retribution, in the form of environmental hazards and the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds [59].…”

“…The higher infiltration rates in the SS-based RW cropping system facilitate speedy water percolation, and reduce the quantity of run-off that might end up as groundwater recharge [44,75]. The major crop growth benefits of SS manifest through reduced soil erosion, crusting, compaction, and moderated soil hydrothermal regimes [15,18,23,33]. This practice leads to a supportive soil physical environment, which not only promotes root growth and nutrient recycling, but also SOC sequestration [2,17,18,76].…”

“…The major crop growth benefits of SS manifest through reduced soil erosion, crusting, compaction, and moderated soil hydrothermal regimes [15,18,23,33]. This practice leads to a supportive soil physical environment, which not only promotes root growth and nutrient recycling, but also SOC sequestration [2,17,18,76]. Experimental evidence involving SS shows a substantial decrease in BD and penetration resistance (PR) [34], with a significant increase in soil moisture content, water-stable aggregates (WSA) (>0.25 mm), and MWD, mainly in the topsoil (0-15 cm) layer [2].…”