Abstract
The experiment with eight treatments: Flat conventional tillage (CT) in kharif followed by CT in rabi (CT/CT)], Flat CT/no tillage (NT) (CT/NT), NT/NT, NT + wheat straw mulch @ 5 t/ha(S)/NT (NT+S/NT), Fresh beds (FB)/flat CT (FB/CT), CT/FB, permanent beds (PB)/permanent beds (PB/PB) and PB+S/PB was conducted at PAU, Ludhiana during kharif and rabi seasons of 2003-04 and 2004-2005 in RBD with four replications. Straw mulching in PB+S/PB or NT+S/NT reduced the soil temperature and improved photosynthetically active radiation intercep- tion that however failed to increase yield of maize and wheat markedly. NT+S/NT and PB+S/PB in maize recorded 10.37 and 3.40% less consumptive use (CU) of water than CT/CT and FB/CT treatments, respectively during 2004. PB+S/PB treatment in wheat recorded significantly lower CU and higher water use efficiency (WUE) than all CT and NT treatments. Soil bulk density recorded in NT/NT (1.50 g/cm3) was significantly higher than CT/CT, FB/ CT, CT/FB, PB/PB and PB+S/PB treatments. On an average, the highest net returns (Rs 43,536/ha) were ob- served in NT/NT treatment. The minimum input energy and energy output/input ratio (13.82) was seen in PB/PB treatment while energy output (3,92,035 MJ/ha/year) was highest in NT+S/NT.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
