Sesbania brown manuring improves soil health, productivity, and profitability of post-rice bread wheat and chickpea

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Muhammad Farooq ◽  
Naqib Ullah ◽  
Faisal Nadeem ◽  
Ahmad Nawaz ◽  
Kadambot H. M. Siddique

Summary Continuous rotation of rice with wheat in rice–wheat system has resulted in stagnant yields and reduced profit margins while deteriorating the soil health. Legume incorporation in existing rice–wheat rotations might be a viable option to improve soil health and productivity. We investigated the influence of puddled transplanted flooded rice and direct-seeded rice on weed dynamics, soil health, productivity, and profitability of post-rice wheat and chickpea grown under zero tillage and conventional tillage. The previous direct-seeded rice crop was either sown alone or intercropped with sesbania as brown manure. The experiment comprised different rice–wheat and rice–chickpea systems which had been in place for two years: with and without rice residue retention. The initial soil analysis indicated that the plots with sesbania brown manuring in direct-seeded rice had the lowest soil bulk density (17.2%) and highest soil porosity (19.3%). Zero tillage in wheat or chickpea in the plots previously cultivated with co-culture of sesbania and direct-seeded rice increased total soil organic carbon by 13–22% in both years. The plots with sesbania brown manuring in direct-seeded rice followed by zero till or conventional till wheat and the plots with direct-seeded rice followed by zero till wheat with rice residue retention recorded the greater concentrations of total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium. Zero tillage in wheat and chickpea in post-rice sesbania brown manuring plots produced 41% and 43% more grain yield than those in the puddled transplanted flooded rice with conventional tillage and had the highest profitability. Overall, the rice–chickpea systems had better soil health and profitability than rice–wheat cropping systems. In conclusion, direct-seeded rice intercropped with sesbania followed by wheat and chickpea under zero tillage suppressed weed flora and improved soil physical properties, nutrient availability, productivity, and profitability.

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-174
Author(s):  
PRATIBHA KUMARI ◽  

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh during Kharif season of 2018. The experiment consisted of six combinations of different tillage methods and crop establishment practices with four-time replicated under randomized block design. Zero tillage [direct seeded rice - wheat (Full CA; anchored residue of rice and wheat + mungbean residue retention)]showed significantly higher plant height, number of tillers m-2and chlorophyll content as compared to the other treatments, while the lowest values of these parameters were observed under conventional tillage (rice-wheat without residue). There was a steady rise in plant height and number of tillers with age of plant under all the treatments. The yield and its attributes were significantly higher under zero tillage [direct seeded rice - wheat (full CA; anchored residue of rice and wheat + mungbean residue retention)] followed by treatments zero tillage [direct seeded rice - wheat (full CA; anchored residue of rice and wheat)]. While, the poor yield was reported in conventional tillage (rice-wheat without residue). Zero tillage [direct seeded rice - wheat (full CA; anchored residue of rice and wheat + mungbean residue retention)] increased nutrient use efficiency in term of partial factor productivity of applied NPK in rice crop.


2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 543
Author(s):  
Mukhtar Ahmad Faiz ◽  
Ram Swaroop Bana ◽  
Anil Kumar Choudhary ◽  
Alison M. Laing ◽  
Ruchi Bansal ◽  
...  

Pearl millet-based cropping systems with intensive tillage operations prior to sowing have limited sustainable productivity in the low-irrigation conditions of semi-arid farming ecologies, such as those in the north Indian plains. The adoption of improved management practices such as zero tillage with residue retention (ZTR) and diversification with the inclusion of summer pulse crops has the potential to improve cropping system sustainability. Therefore, an experiment was designed to compare two improved management practices, zero tillage (ZT) and ZTR, to conventional tillage (CT), across three pearl millet-based cropping systems: pearl millet–chickpea (PM–CP), PM–CP–mungbean (MB), and PM–CP–forage pearl millet in a two-year experiment. Experimental treatments were compared in terms of pearl millet productivity, mineral biofortification, and greenhouse gas emissions. Results showed a significant increase in pearl millet yield attributes, grain and stover productivity, nutrient uptake, and micronutrient biofortification in the PM–CP–MB cropping system under ZTR relative to other treatment combinations. On-farm evaluation at different locations also showed that the intensification of PM–CP system using summer crops enhanced pearl millet productivity across diverse tillage systems. Overall, zero tillage practices combined with diversified pearl millet-based cropping systems are likely to be management practices, which farmers can use to sustainably maintain or increase cropping system productivity in the various semi-arid areas of the world.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-63
Author(s):  
K Pariyar ◽  
A Chaudhary ◽  
P Sapkota ◽  
S Sharma ◽  
CB Rana ◽  
...  

The effects of two tillage methods (zero tillage and conventional tillage), two residue managements (residue kept and residue removed) and two levels of cropping system (maize + soybean and sole maize) were studied over 3 years (2015-2017) at Dailekh district of Nepal. Arun-2 and Puja were the varieties of maize and soybean used respectively, followed by winter wheat. The results revealed that the maize + soybean system had significantly higher plant population and ear population (34.83 thousands ha-1 and 34.35 thousands ha-1, respectively), grains per row (37.1), ear length (16.6 cm) and 20.5% higher grain yield as compared to sole maize. The highest maize equivalent yield (7.92 t ha-1) was recorded in maize + soybean as compared to the lower grain yield equivalent (7.06 t ha-1) in sole maize. Zero tillage accounted relatively higher benefits (high net income and B:C ratio) as compared to conventional tillage. The residue kept plot resulted significantly higher B:C ratio (2.41) than the residue removed (2.11) and the maize + soybean recorded 82.5% greater B:C ratio compared to sole maize. Net annual income was significantly higher in zero tillage, residue kept and maize + soybean system (NRs. 223072.00, 222958.00 and 269016.00 ha-1 respectively). Such combinations are recommended for Dailekh district of Nepal to have profitable crop productivity. SAARC J. Agri., 17(1): 49-63 (2019)


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
Shukra Raj Shrestha ◽  
Jiban Shrestha ◽  
Sanjeet Kumar Jha ◽  
Dinesh Khadka ◽  
Prakash Paneru ◽  
...  

Field experiments were conducted for four years (2014-2017) at five locations namely Salbani, Bhokraha, Simariya, Bhaluwa and Kaptanganj of Sunsari district to assess the changes in soil chemical properties under conservation agriculture (CA)-based practices in two cropping systems namely rice-kidney bean-maize at Salbani and rice-wheat at rest of the locations. In rice-wheat cropping system, there were four treatments: (1) conventional tillage (CT) for rice transplantation and subsequent wheat sowing, (2) conventional tillage rice transplantation followed by zero tillage (ZT) wheat, (3) unpuddled rice transplantation followed by zero tillage wheat, (4) zero tillage in both rice and wheat. Similarly, in rice-kidney bean-maize cropping system, there were four treatments; (1) conventional tillage for rice transplantation and sowing of both kidney bean and maize, (2) conventional tillage rice transplantation followed by zero tillage in both kidney bean and maize, (3) unpuddled rice transplantation followed by zero tillage in both kidney bean and maize, (4) zero tillage in all three crops. Soil samples were taken at initial and every year after rice harvest.The soil samples were analyzed for total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, pH and soil organic matter.Total nitrogen (N) showed a slightly decreasing trend in the first three years and showed a slight increase at the end of experiment under ZT in all locations. The total N under ZT changed from 0.12 to 0.13%, 0.05 to 0.06%, 0.10 to 0.12%, 0.11 to 0.08% and 0.09 to 0.13% in Salbani, Bhokraha, Simariya, Bhaluwa and Kaptanganj, respectively.  All locations showed the positive values of available potassium; Salbani  revealing considerable change of 64.3 to 78.5 mg/kg in CT while 68.4 to 73.3 mg/kg in ZT condition. The treatment where rice was transplanted in unpuddled condition and zero tilled to wheat, had a mean value of available phosphorus and potassium as 87.3 and 81.9 mg/kg respectively. Soil pH ranged from 4.8 to 7.1 in CT while it was 5.2 to 6.8 in ZT across the locations. The change in soil organic matter in CT of all locations except Salbani was narrower as compared to ZT.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibek Thapa ◽  
Keshab Raj Pande ◽  
Baburam Khanal ◽  
Santosh Marahatta

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of tillage practices, residue management and cropping system on soil properties at NMRP, Rampur, Chitwan from November 2015 to April 2016. The experiment was laid on Strip split design with combination of 12 different treatments i.e, zero tillage & conventional tillage as main plot in the strip, residue retention & residue removal as sub-plot factor and maize – wheat, maize + soybean – wheat & soybean – wheat cropping system as sub-sub plot factor. Three replications of the treatments were made. Soil sample before experiment and after harvest of wheat was taken (0-15cm). The experiment showed significant effect of zero tillage on organic carbon (2.169%) and on total soil nitrogen (0.112 %). Zero tillage with retention of residues is valuable tool for the conservation agriculture and helps in sustainability of soil however long-term research for the tillage management and residue retention should be conducted to highlight the major effects on change in properties of soil.Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(2): 164-168 


Author(s):  
Christian Thierfelder ◽  
Eric Paterson ◽  
Lumbani Mwafulirwa ◽  
Tim J Daniell ◽  
Jill E Cairns ◽  
...  

Abstract Climate change and soil fertility decline are major threats to smallholder farmers' food and nutrition security in southern Africa, and cropping systems that improve soil health are needed to address these challenges. Cropping systems that invest in soil organic matter, such as no-tillage (NT) with crop residue retention, have been proposed as potential solutions. However, a key challenge for assessing the sustainability of NT systems is that soil carbon (C) stocks develop over long timescales, and there is an urgent need to identify trajectory indicators of sustainability and crop productivity. Here we examined the effects of NT as compared with conventional tillage without residue retention on relationships between soil characteristics and maize (Zea mays L.) productivity in long-term on-farm and on-station trials in Zimbabwe. Our results show that relationships between soil characteristics and maize productivity, and the effects of management on these relationships, varied with soil type. Total soil nitrogen (N) and C were strong predictors of maize grain yield and above-ground biomass (i.e., stover) in the clayey soils, but not in the sandy soils, under both managements. This highlights context-specific benefits of management that fosters the accumulation of soil C and N stocks. Despite a strong effect of NT management on soil C and N in sandy soils, this accrual was not sufficient to support increased crop productivity in these soils. We suggest that sandy soils should be the priority target of NT with organic resource inputs interventions in southern Africa, as mineral fertilizer inputs alone will not halt the soil fertility decline. This will require a holistic management approach and input of C in various forms (e.g., biomass from cover crops and tree components, crop residues, in combination with mineral fertilizers). Clayey soils on the other hand have greater buffering capacity against detrimental effects of soil tillage and low C input.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
G. Sah ◽  
S. C. Shah ◽  
S. K. Sah ◽  
R. B. Thapa ◽  
A. McDonald ◽  
...  

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate conventional tillage (CT), permanent raised bed (PRB), and zero tillage (ZT) with residue retention and removal at three nitrogen levels (0, 100, and 120 kg N ha-1) on wheat productivity, energy input and energy output, energy use efficiency, specific energy, and CO2 emission from 2010 to 2012 under rice-wheat system at Pheta V.D.C, Bara, Nepal. The experiments were carried out in strip split plot designs with three replications. Zero tillage wheat produced significantly higher grain yield (2616.5 kg ha-1), saved 10.4 % energy input, increased energy output (12.4 %), enhancing energy use efficiency by 25.2 % and reducing specific energy by 23.6 %, as compared to conventional tillage. Diesel consumption on crop establishment and irrigations were the lowest for ZT (48.6 liter ha-1) and the highest for CT (86.3 liter ha-1). PRB consumed the lowest quantity of diesel on two irrigations (34.6 liter ha-1) with higher energy use efficiency (3.4 %) and lower specific energy (8.76 MJ kg-1) over CT. The CO2 emission from CT was the highest (224.32 kg ha-1) over ZT (126.4 kg ha-1) and PRB (146.11 kg ha-1). Residue retention increased 4 % grain yield over residue removal. Without nitrogen application, energy output was the lowest (34192 MJ ha-1) with the highest specific energy (12.6 MJ kg-1). Thus, zero-till wheat with 40-cm residue retention and 100 kg N ha-1 application was suggested for mass scale adoption in the Tarai region of Nepal.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/njst.v15i2.12104      Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 15, No.2 (2014) 1-10


Author(s):  
Suborna Roy Choudhury ◽  
Anupam Das ◽  
S. K. Gupta ◽  
Seema . ◽  
R. P. Sharma ◽  
...  

Greenhouse gas emissions have an indirect impact on crop production and are primary sources of the global warming. A field experiment was carried out to examine the effect of management practice (i.e. culmination of tillage and nutrient management) on GHGs emission and its subsequent effect on agronomic productivity and subsequent impact on global warming. There were three different crop establishment methods as main plot treatments: M1 (Rice: SRI, Wheat: Conventional tillage), M2 (Rice: Transplanted Puddle rice, Wheat: Conventional tillage + 30% residue incorporation), M3 (Rice: DSR, Wheat: Zero tillage + 30% residue retention) and four nutrient management as sub plot treatments viz. S1(100% of Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) through inorganic sources), S2 (75% of RDF through inorganic sources + 25% N of RDF through organic sources), S3 (50% of RDF through inorganic sources + 50% N of RDF through organic sources), S4 (S1 + mung bean as green-manure). After conducting three year of experiment (2013-2016), it has been found that the DSR emitted lower CH4 (1.39 mg m-2 hr-1), CO2 (0.57 mg m-2 hr-1) and N2O (0.36 mg m-2 hr-1) at the maximum tillering stage of rice. The same trend was followed under zero tillage with30% residue retention in wheat with lower emission range of all three gases i.e. 0.95, 1.29 and 0.58 mg m-2 hr-1 respectively. Lowest emission of CH4 and CO2 with the values of 1.87 and 1.24 mg m-2 hr-1 respectively from rice and 1.57 and 3.23 mg m-2 hr-1 from wheat was observed under 100% RDF through inorganic fertilization, whereas, N2O emission was just reverse to emission pattern of CH4 and CO2. Crop establishment through minimum soil disturbance with residue retention under rice- wheat cropping sequence along with 100% RDF through mineral fertiliser along with green manure could be one of the stable agronomic strategies under lower GHGs emission scenarios.


Author(s):  
Avatar Singh ◽  
Rajneesh Kumar

Field experiment was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on direct seeded rice (DSR) with tillage systems and nitrogen (N) levels. The highest grain yield of DSR was recorded in zero tillage with wheat straw (ZTWS), which was statistically at par with zero tillage without wheat straw (ZTWOS). The application of 125 kg N/ha gave the maximum grain yield, which was at par with 100 kg N/ha. The ZTWS at 100 kg N/ha registered higher grain yield, which was at par with ZTWOS at 125 kg N/ha. However, the higher grain yield was recorded with the application of 125 kg N/ha under conventional tillage with wheat straw (CTWS) and with 150 kg N/ha in conventional tillage without wheat straw (CTWOS). Therefore, rice can be grown with ZTWS and ZTWOS with the application of 100 and 125 kg N/ha, respectively for higher productivity at low cost of cultivation by skipping the tillage operation at the time of sowing under the condition of loamy sand soils of Punjab.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Wang ◽  
Yingxing Zhao ◽  
Mahdi Al-Kaisi ◽  
Jia Yang ◽  
Yuanquan Chen ◽  
...  

Diversified cropping systems can enhance soil condition and increase system productivity worldwide. To reduce the negative effects that accompany the continuous winter wheat–summer maize (WM) double-cropping in the North China Plain (NCP), diversified crop rotation (DCR) needs to be considered. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of DCR on soil health and wheat productivity as compared to a continuous WM double-cropping. A field experiment (37°41′ N, 116°37′ E) was established in the NCP including a traditional WM double-cropping as a baseline. During 2016/2017–2017/2018, the control is winter wheat–summer maize→winter wheat–summer maize (WM→WM) and seven DCRs as follow: fallow→winter wheat–summer maize (F→WM); spring maize→winter wheat–summer maize (Ms→WM); winter wheat→winter wheat–summer maize (W→WM); sweet potato→winter wheat–summer maize (Psw→WM); spring peanut→winter wheat–summer maize (Pns→WM); winter wheat–summer peanut→winter wheat–summer maize (WPn→WM) and potato–silage maize→winter wheat–summer maize (PMl→WM). Our results indicated that DCRs significantly changed certain soil health indicators in 2016/2017 compared with the control, where F→WM rotation significantly decreased soil pH by 2.7%. The DCRs, especial Psw→WM and Pns→WM rotations showed a potential positive effect on soil health indicators at the end of the second year (2017/2018) compared with the control, where sweet potato increased soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), urease activity (UA) and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) in 2017/2018 by 5.1%, 5.3%, 13.8%, 9.4%, and 13.5%, respectively. With the spring peanut, TN, AP, and soil APA were increased by 2.1%, 13.2%, and 7.7%, respectively. Although fertilizer and irrigation input of DCRs were lower than the control, no significant decrease was observed on actual wheat yield as compared to the control (7.79 Mg/ha). The finding of this study highlights the value of DCRs, especially, Psw→WM and Pns→WM rotations over WM double-cropping in the NCP.


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