Tillage and nitrogen management effects on weed seedbank and yield of fingermillet

Abstract

Field and pot culture studies were conducted at Bengaluru to study the influence of three tillage practices, viz. conventional tillage (3 ploughings + 3 inter cultivations), reduced tillage (2 ploughings + 2 inter cultivations) and minimum tillage (1 ploughing + 1 inter cultivation) and three nitrogen management practices, viz. 100% N through Urea, 100% N through integrated supply (50% N through urea+ 25% N through FYM+ 25% N through Glyricidia) and 100% N through organic source (50% N through FYM+ 50% N through Glyricidia) on live weed seedbank and yield of fingermillet (Eleusine coracana L.) under rainfed pigeonpea-fingermillet system in Alfisols. The results showed that conventional tillage reduced the infestation of Borreria articularis, Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus compared to other tillage practices. However nitrogen management practices didn't influence live weed seed bank significantly. Among tillage practices, conventional tillage recorded significantly higher fingermillet yield (3.03 t/ha) compared to other tillage practices and among nutrient management practices integrated supply of N recorded higher yield of 2.67 t/ha compared to other nutrient management practices. More live weed seeds were distributed in upper 10 cm soil depth in minimum tillage whereas in conventional tillage live weed seed distribution was more or less uniform in the soil profile studied.