Tillage and weed management on yield and nutrient uptake of wheat under maize-wheat cropping system in Western Himalayas

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2013–14 and 2014–15 at SKUAST-Jammu to study the effect of tillage and weed management on yield and nutrient uptake of wheat under maize- wheat cropping system in sub-tropical irrigated conditions. The results revealed that different tillage systems recorded non-significant grain yield of wheat. However, ZT in wheat either preceded by conventional tillage (CT) or zero tillage (ZT) in maize was more beneficial as it recorded higher net returns and benefit: cost ratio than CT in wheat. Among the weed management, post-emergence application of metribuzin at 200 g/ha resulted in lowest total weed density and biomass of weeds, which was statistically at par with two hand weedings and significantly lower than weedy check. The postemergence application of metribuzin at 200 g/ha also recorded highest weed control efficiency (WCE), net returns and B:C ratio during both the years of experimentation followed by two hand weedings.