Effect of resource-conserving and planting techniques on productivity of maize (Zea mays)wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v59i1.4542Keywords:
Crop production, Conventional tillage, Maizewheat cropping system, Water productivity, Zero tillageAbstract
A field experiment was conducted on a silty clay loam soil of Palampur during 20092011, to study effect of till- age and planting-management techniques in maize ( Zea mays L )wheat { Triticum aestivum (L ) emend. Fiori & . . Paol.) cropping system. Zero tillage in rainy ( kharif) and winter ( rabi) seasons resulted comparable yield as with multi-crop planter, manual seed drill and conventional tillage methods. However, multi-crop planter and manual seed drill in the rainy season produced significantly higher effective plants/m2 of maize (8.0 and 7.8, respectively). In case of wheat, conventional tillage in the rainy season produced significantly the highest effective spikes/m2 (322.6) over the other treatments. However, multi-crop planter in the winter season produced significantly the high- est effective spikes/m2 (337.6). Water productivity in the rainy season was minimum under zero tillage (41.3 kg maize grain equivalent yield (mey)/ha-mm) and maximum under manual seed drill (48.5 kg mey/ha-mm), while wa- ter use was the lowest under manual seed drill and the maximum under zero tillage. Systems total energy output was the highest with conventional tillage in the rainy season and multi-crop planter in the winter season. In maize crop, manual seed drill and multi-crop planter in the rainy season produced significantly lower total weed count at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Similarly, the total weed dry weight 90 days after sowing (DAS) was lowest under manual seed drill. In wheat crop, multi-crop planter, manual seed drill and conventional tillage in the winter season produced significantly lower weed count (at 30 and 60 DAS respectively) compared to zero tillage. Seeding with zero tillage, multi-crop planter and manual seed drill in the rainy season and the winter season could save 9, 11.5 and 6 man-days and 22, 16 and 9 man-days, respectively, over the conventional tillage.References
Arif, M., Munsif, F., Waqas, M., Khalil, I.A. and Ali, K. 2007. Effect of tillage on weeds and economics of fodder maize production. Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research 13(3and4): 16775.
Bhardwaj, S.P. and Sindwal, N.S. 1998. Zero tillage and weed mulch for erosion control on sloping land in Doon valley. Indian Journal of Soil Conservation 26(2): 7680.
Cardina, J., Herms, C.P. and Doohan, D.J. 2002. Crop rotation and tillage system effects on weed seedbanks. Weed Science 50(4): 44860.
Chopra, P. and Angiras, N.N. 2010. Effect of tillage and weed management on productivity and nutrient uptake of maize (Zea mays). Indian Journal of Agronomy 53(1): 6669.
Dogra, P., Joshi, B.P. and Sharma, S.K. 2002. Economic analysis of tillage practices for maize cultivation in the Himalayan humid subtropics. Indian Journal of Soil Conservation 30(2): 17278.
Doran J.W. 1980. Soil microbial and biochemical changes associated with reduced tillage. Soil Science Society of American Journal 44(4): 76571.
GoI. 2012. Agricultural Statistics at a Glance. Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi (www.dacnet.nic.in).
Gomez, K.A. and Gomez, A.A. 1984. Statistical Procedure for Agricultural Research, (Edn 2,) 680 pp. Wiley Inter Science,
New York, USA.
Ram, H., Kler, D.S., Singh, Y. and Kumar, K. 2010. Productivity of maize (Zea mays)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) system under different tillage and crop establishment practices. Indian Journal of Agronomy 55(3): 18590.
Rana, S.S., Sharma, H.L., Subehia, S.K., Negi, S.C. and Sharma,
S.K. 2011. Promising cropping systems for mid hill agroclimatic conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research 37: 13848.
Saroch, K., Sandal, S.K. and Sharma, P.K. 2012. Effect of tillage and nitrogen management on water use and productivity of late-sown wheat under mid hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research 38(1): 3135.
