Effect of tillage and crop establishment practices on performance of rice (Oryza sativa) under rice-wheat cropping system

Abstract

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.