Crop Establishment Methods Research Articles

Performance of Late Sown Wheat Varieties to Various Tillage Practices

The present investigation was conducted to the response of tillage practices on growth and yield of different wheat varieties under late sown condition in rabi season of 2019-20 at Research farm of College of Agriculture, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda. The experiment was laid out in Split plot Design with three replications. Tillage methods were taken in main plot (Zero tillage and conventional tillage) and five varieties (HI1863, HI 1544, Shriram bioseed 2001, Raj 4120 and K 1317) were taken in sub plots. Results revealed that adoption of zero tillage has recorded maximum emergence count, plant height, dry matter accumulation, tillers/m2, root length CGR, and RGR, as compared to conventional method of crop establishment. The 10.38 per cent grain yield advantage was recorded with zero till wheat as compared to conventional method. Similarly, 8.2 per cent advantage was recorded in straw yield of wheat as compared to conventional sown wheat. Similar to this, wheat variety K 1317 was produced maximum growth attributing characters along with higher yield and b: c ratio.

Effect of limited irrigation and planting systems on yield and water productivity of maize (Zea mays)

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) seasons of 2019 and 2020 at the research farm opf ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the effect of limited irrigation application and planting systems on yield and water productivity of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The experiment consisted of two crop establishment methods as one factor, viz. Narrow bed planting and broad bad planting and 5 irrigation levels, viz. 25% DASM (Depletion of available soil moisture); 25% DASM at tasselling, silking, grain filling and 50% during rest of time; 50% DASM at all growth stages; 50% DASM + KCl spray at 40 DAS and at pre-tasselling; and 50% DASM+2% Urea spray at 40 DAS and at pre-tasselling. Experimental results revealed that the broad bed system of planting during 2019 and 2020 recoded significantly higher grain yields (4.37 and 4.57 t/ha) compared to the narrow bed system (4.23 and 4.38 t/ha), respectively. Regarding different irrigation levels, the highest water productivity (91.26 and 199.76 kg/ ha-cm) was observed with irrigation at 50% DASM along with two sprays of urea at 40 DAS during both the years, respectively. It was concluded that broad bed along with irrigation at 50% DASM with two sprays of urea proved to be most effective approach to enhance water productivity and yield of maize crop.

Zero-tillage in Mung Bean-Wheat Cropping System: Impact on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity

Background: Inclusion of legume crops in efficient cropping system is important to maintain soil bio-physical property for sustainable production systems. Conservation agriculture (CA) practices have been demonstrated to be successful in cereal based systems. But the information on zero-tillage as CA practice in legume based systems is lacking, which may further help in conservation of soil resources on sustainable basis. Hence study on impact of zero-tillage on soil biological and physico-chemical properties was undertaken at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bawal (Rewari), India during 2019-20 and 2020-21. Methods: The soil of experimental site was loamy sand in texture and low in organic carbon, N and P, while medium in K. The treatments included nine tillage combinations for crop establishment under mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (MWCS) viz., Zero-tillage mung bean (ZTM) fb zero-tillage wheat (ZTW), ZTM fb reduced tillage wheat (RTW), ZTM fb conventional tillage wheat (CTW), reduced tillage mung bean (RTM) fb ZTW, RTM fb RTW, RTM fb CTW, Conventional tillage mung bean (CTM) fb ZTW, CTM fb RTW, CTM fb CTW. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Result: After two years, there was no change in soil texture and EC of the soil due to different crop establishment methods, while the bulk density of upper soil layer (0-15 cm) decreased marginally under system-based ZT method. The Infiltration rate increased with decrease in the frequency of tillage in both the crops. Organic carbon in upper layer increased while pH decreased marginally under ZTM-ZTW as compared to CTM-CTW. Available N and P showed increasing trend with decrease in number of tillage operations after two years of MWCS. Tillage practices had no significant effect on available K. The grain yield of wheat was not influenced by tillage during 2019-20, but in 2020-21 it was significantly higher under ZT wheat sown after ZTM (5025 kg ha-1) than RTW (4622-4722 kg ha-1) and CTW (4593-4641 kg ha-1), irrespective of tillage practices in mung bean. The seed, stover and biological yields of mung bean were similar under all crop establishment methods in MWCS. This indicated sustainability of zero-tillage methods of establishment in MWCS.

Crop establishment methods and herbicide mixtures induced weed dynamics, productivity, and profitability of summer rice

Rice farmers face challenges in achieving higher yield and profit during the summer season due to improper establishment and weed control. To address this, a study was conducted to assess the effects of herbicide combinations on the growth and yield of CR Dhan 206 (Gopinath), a high-yielding rice variety. The research took place from January to May 2022 at the PG Research Farm of M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. The experiment followed a split plot design with two main plots (transplanted rice and wet seeded rice) and five subplots (fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + ethoxysulfuron (Tank mix) @ (50+15) g ha-1 at 18 days after transplanting/sowing (DAT/S); triafamone + ethoxysulfuron (Ready mix) @ (45+22.5) g ha-1 at 12 DAT/S; pretilachlor + bensulfuron-methyl (Ready mix) @ (600+60) g ha-1 at 4 DAT/S; weed-free (Hand weeding at 20,40,60 DAT/S); and weedy check) replicated thrice. The dominant weeds observed were Echinochloa colona, Leptochloa chinensis, Cyanotis auxiliaris, Physalis minima, Ludwigia parviflora, Cyperus iria, and Fimbristylis miliacea. Results indicated that the establishment methods did not significantly affect crop growth, yield attributes, crop yield, and weed infestation. However, the application of triafamone + ethoxysulfuron in both transplanted and wet seeded rice demonstrated superior growth, yield, weed control, and comparable results to the weed-free check. The combination of wet seeded rice and triafamone + ethoxysulfuron showed the highest net return and benefit-cost ratio, suggesting its recommendation for effective weed control and profitability in rice farming in summer season.

Effect of micro irrigation and crop establishment methods on growth, physiological parameters, quality, and production of bajra napier hybrid grass CO (BN) 5 (Pennisetum glaucum L. × Pennisetum purpureum schumach)

Effect of micro irrigation and crop establishment methods on growth, physiological parameters, quality, and production of bajra napier hybrid grass CO (BN) 5 (Pennisetum glaucum L. × Pennisetum purpureum schumach)

Effect of Site Specific N Management and Different Crop Establishment Methods on Tillering Ability and Dry Matter Accumulation in Rice

Effect of Site Specific N Management and Different Crop Establishment Methods on Tillering Ability and Dry Matter Accumulation in Rice

Effect of different date of sowing and crop establishment methods on performance of rice cultivars

Effect of different date of sowing and crop establishment methods on performance of rice cultivars

Economics of Rice Production under Different Crop Establishment Methods with Integrated Nutrient Management in the Coastal Zone of Andhra Pradesh, India

Economics of Rice Production under Different Crop Establishment Methods with Integrated Nutrient Management in the Coastal Zone of Andhra Pradesh, India

Influence of crop establishment method and residue management practices on productivity and economics of soybean-based cropping systems

The field experiment was conducted during kharif, 2021 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore (MP). This experiment was initiated in kharif season of 2017, to study the effect of different cropping systems, crop establishment method and residue management practices on productivity and soil health of soybeanbased cropping systems. Significantly higher yield of soybean was registered under soybean-chickpea. Among the crop establishment techniques, permanent broad bed and furrow (PBBF) + residue retention (R) followed by PBBF + without residue retention (WR) found superior as compared to conventional tillage as per farmer practices. The increase in seed yield was 13.0 to 19.0% under PBBF technology as compared to conventional tillage as per farmers’ practices (CTFP).

Response of Crop Establishment Methods and Weed Management Practices on Weed Flora, Crop Growth and Yield of Wheat in Maize-Wheat-Greengram Cropping System

Sustainable agriculture mostly relies on conservation tillage, crop residue retention and crop diversification. Weeds are major production hurdles in adoption of conservation agriculture (CA), therefore, weed management is important for sustainable crop yield. Designing efficient integrated weed management (IWM) practices under zero-tillage with crop residue (ZT+R) is helpful in getting optimum yield. A field experiment was carried out at research farm of ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur (M.P.), India with eight treatment combinations, two crop establishment methods (conventional tillage and conservation tillage) in main plots and four weed management practices (weedy check, recommended herbicide, IWM, and herbicide rotation) in sub-plots were evaluated using a split plot design with three replications. The results indicated that the wheat sown under ZT+R led to significantly less weed density (105.9 no. m-2 in 2020-21 and 122.8 no. m-2 in 2022-23) and biomass (149.7 and 174.2 g m-2, respectively) hence, registered the highest weed control efficiency (WCE, 72.3% and 71.2%, respectively). Higher WCE helped in producing better wheat growth indices like plant height (106.3 and 101.1 cm, respectively), biomass (12.0 and 9.0 g plant-1, respectively) and no. of tillers (488.0 and 391.3 no. m-2, respectively) ultimately grain yield (4164 and 3814 kg ha-1, respectively) and straw yield (7265 and 6834 kg ha-1, respectively) compared with conventional tillage during both the years. Among the weed management practices, ready-mix application of clodinafop + metsulfuron at 60+4 g ha-1 (30-35 days after sowing, DAS) followed by (fb) hand weeding at 45 DAS increased growth indices like plant height (110.2 and 105.0 cm, respectively), plant biomass (14.9 and 12.1 g plant-1, respectively) and no. of tillers (547.2 and 436.7 no. m-2, respectively) ultimately grain yield (4708 and 4299 kg ha-1, respectively) and straw yield (7836 and 7610 kg ha-1, respectively), and WCE (97.4% and 96.8% respectively) with significantly less weed density (25.7 and 35.0 no. m-2, respectively) and biomass (13.6 and 19.9 g m-2, respectively) at 90 days after sowing. IWM also completely reduces the weed density and biomass over the other weed management practices during both the years. Therefore, wheat sown under ZT+R coupled with IWM was superior in terms of weed control, crop growth and yields.

Floods stress in lowland rice production: experiences of rice farmers in Kilombero and Lower-Rufiji floodplains, Tanzania

The resilience of rice production to floods is a crucial aspect of agricultural development in flood-prone regions. However, little is known about the farming practices and challenges of rice farmers in two river basins in Tanzania: Lower-Rufiji and Kilombero, where rice is the main crop grown. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of farmers in these two rice-growing floodplains regarding the impact of floods on lowland rice production and farmer livelihoods, and the strategies they use to cope with floods. The study used a mixed-methods approach that involved household surveys, key informant interviews, and transect walks to collect data from 180 rice farmers and 14 experts and community leaders. The data analysis revealed that floods were the dominant stressor affecting rice production, occurring mostly during the long rainy season and experienced by all farmers in both locations. Floods not only caused significant crop losses, especially in Lower-Rufiji where farmers reported losing between 75 and 100% of their yield in cases of extreme floods, but also made it difficult to establish and manage crops, leading to crop land abandonment. Floods also affected the livelihoods of rice farmers by forcing them to abandon, rent, or sell their farms. Coexistence of floods with other biotic and abiotic stresses such as crop diseases and droughts also limited the use of short maturing high yielding rice varieties. Farmers have adopted on-farm strategies such as adjusting planting schedules, using different varieties of rice, changing to other crops or activities after the floods to cope with floods, but these practices face numerous challenges. The study recommends the development of early warning systems, breeding for flood-tolerant rice varieties, introgression of tolerance traits to multiple stresses and improving crop establishment methods to enhance the resilience of farmers to floods and other extreme climate events.

Implications of Various Establishment Methods and Nutrient Management Practices on the Growth and Yield of Rice in the North Western Himalayan Region

Aim: For more than half of the world's population, rice is the primary staple food. The traditional method of producing rice uses a lot of water, requires a lot of labor, and is bad for the health of the soil and the environment. Additionally, an unbalanced nutrient supply causes plants to grow and develop slowly, the soil to deteriorate, and the environment to suffer. To know the effect of rice establishment and nutrient management on rice a field study was conducted at SKUAST-Jammu. Methodology: In a split plot design with three replications, the field experiment was carried out with the rice variety Pusa-1121 using 3 establishment methods (system of rice intensification, conventional, and mechanical) and 6 nutrient management practices (100% RDF inorganic, 75% RDF inorganic, 125% RDF inorganic, 50% inorganic + 50% organic, 75% inorganic + 25% organic, and 100% organic manures with FYM). Results: Among the nutrient management, 125% RDF gives the highest yield and B:C ratio of the rice crop during both years, according to the results. The highest yield was found in SRI crop establishment method, which also has the highest B:C ratio among all crop establishment methods. Conclusion: In terms of productivity, soil studies and profitability, the es­tablishment of rice by the system of rice intensification (SRI) technique in combination with 125% RDF inorganic approach was found to be superior to the other treatments.

Impact of different establishment methods for summer-sown cover crops in Southwestern Germany on their weed suppression properties

Early establishment of cover crops (CCs) is essential for attaining successful weed suppression in the autumn-to-spring period. Due to reduced precipitation and extended periods of drought in the summer within temperate zones, the establishment of CCs poses challenges. Three methods of cover crop (CC) establishment were tested: 1) preharvest sowing 10 days before harvest of cash crop (PreHa); 2) no-till sowing directly after harvest of cash crop (NoTi) and 3) sowing with reduced tillage 10 days after harvest of cash crop (ReTi). The five CC species black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.); common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.), fodder radish (Raphanus sativus var. oleiformis L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), along with a mixture comprising 20% of all five species, were included as second factor in a three-year field experiment (2020–2022) conducted in South West Germany. One treatment per establishment method was maintained without CCs as a control. Measurements of CC, volunteer cereal and weed density, soil coverage, and dry matter were carried out throughout the autumn-to-late autumn timeframe. On average across all years and CCs, the PreHa and NoTi establishment demonstrated the highest CC dry matter contents of 99 g m−2 and 119 g m−2, respectively, despite lower CC densities. This had a particularly notable impact on weed density in the ReTi variant, which, over the three-year average across all CC treatments, was 5 times higher than in NoTi and PreHa but exhibited a 18–27% smaller volunteer cereal density by comparison, thereby influencing the respective volunteer cereal and weed coverages. Meanwhile, weed and volunteer cereal dry matters were consistent across all establishment methods. The CC mixture exhibited enhanced resilience to fluctuating weather conditions, leading to an overall superior performance across the three-year experimental period and showing highest measured CC dry matters up to 272 g m−2 in 2022. However, the observed effects in the treatments varied considerably depending on the CC species, sowing date, and weather conditions. In summary, this study demonstrates that early CC sowing, whether directly after the cash crop harvest or 10 days before the cash crop is harvested, has a positive impact on CC biomass formation, especially leading to a reduced weed emergence. Additionally, under variable weather conditions, a diverse CC mixture can exhibit a more stable overall performance compared to CC monocultures.

Effect of Crop Establishment Method and Fertilizer Management on Yield Performance of Boro Rice (Var. Brri DHAN28) In T. Aman-Mustard-Boro Rice Cropping Pattern

The Study was carried out at the Salpoborian village under Sadr papilla of Mymensingh from February to June 2014 to assess the effect of crop establishment method and fertilizer management on the yield performance of Boro rice (var. BRRI dhan28) in T. Aman-Mustard-Boro rice cropping pattern. The experiment comprised three crop establishment methods viz. traditional puddled-transplanting (TPT), unpuddled-one pass in dry condition (UDC), unpuddled-zero tillage (UZT) and five levels of fertilizers viz., 100-60-40-60-10 N-P-K-S-Zn kg ha-1 at recommended (RD) dose (F1), N-K-S-Zn at RD plus 50% P (F2), N-P-S-Zn at RD plus 50% K (F3), P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as Guti urea (2.7 g/4 hills) (F4), P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as pilled urea (F5). The experiment was laid out in a split -plot design with 4 replications with crop establishment method in the main- plots and fertilizer management in the sub-plots. Grain yield was not significantly influenced by crop establishment method, fertilizer management and their interactions. However, numerically the maximum grain yield of 3.19 t ha−1 was found in both unpuddled-one pass in dry condition (UDC) and unpuddled-zero tillage (UZT) with 3.32 t ha−1 in P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as pilled urea (F5) and 3.47 t ha−1 in unpuddled-one pass in dry condition with P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as pilled urea and traditional puddled-transplanting with P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as pilled urea. Similar higher gross margin (Tk. 26629 and Tk. 27428) and benefit cost ratio (1.61 and 1.60) was also observed in UZT × F4 and UDC × F5, respectively. So, it can be concluded that unpuddled-zero tillage with P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as Guti urea (UZT × F4) and unpuddled-one pass in dry condition with P-K-S-Zn at RD plus 75% N as prilled urea (UDC × F5) is the beneficial technique for Boro rice (var. BRRI dhan28) cultivation in T. Aman-Mustard-Boro rice cropping pattern.
 Bangladesh Agron. J. 2023, 26(1): 32-39

Influence of production situation on the incidence of brown spot of rice (Oryza sativa) caused by Bipolaris oryzae in the Philippines

AbstractBrown spot, caused by Bipolaris oryzae, is becoming more prevalent and important in the Philippines but risk assessment is limited. Surveys of 2186 farmers' fields were conducted in the major rice‐growing areas in the country from 2015 to 2018 to analyse the components of production situation (PS) that contribute to the area under the progress curve of brown spot incidence (aBS). Based on lasso regression, the components of PS that influence aBS, in decreasing order, are ecosystem (irrigated vs. rainfed), crop establishment method (direct seeding vs. transplanting), variety type (hybrid vs. inbred), rate of phosphorus fertilizer, rate of potassium fertilizer, application of organic fertilizer (with vs. without organic fertilizer) and frequency of fungicide application. Pairwise comparisons showed that aBS is positively associated with direct‐seeded rice, rainfed ecosystem, hybrid rice, moderate to high P and K rates and spraying of fungicide. Correspondence analysis and chi‐squared tests showed that the class with highest aBS is closely associated with the production situation characterized by rainfed ecosystem, direct‐seeded rice, fungicide application, moderate nitrogen and moderate to high phosphorus and potassium rates; and weather pattern (temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, rainfall and wind speed) that occurs during the wet season. These results confirm previous studies showing that increased adoption of water‐saving technologies and direct seeding for adaptation and mitigation to climate change and reduction of agricultural labour, will most probably favour brown spot. Strategies to manage the disease under these production situations should be implemented in government programmes and considered in future research agendas.

Effect of crop-establishment methods on growth, yield, and economics of lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus) varieties in Vindhya Alluvial region of West Bengal

A field experiment was conducted at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal, during the winter (rabi) season of 2020–21, to study the performance of 3 lathyrus varieties (‘Nirmal’, ‘Prateek’ and ‘Ratan’) under 3 establishment methods (broadcasting, line sowing and dibbling). Broadcast-sown lathyrus emerged early (4.9 days) with the highest emergence rate (96.5%) and recorded the maximum plant population (30.2/m2 ) compared to line sowing and dibbling method. Lathyrus variety ‘Ratan’ recorded the highest aerial dry-matter (94.5 g/ m2 ) at 80 days after sowing (DAS) and crop-growth rate (CGR) 1.74 g/m2 /day at 60–80 DAS, but ‘Nirmal’ produced the tallest plants (110.9 cm) and maximum branches/plant (8.5) at harvesting. Lathyrus raised in line-sown plots yielded the highest (1,757 kg/ha), being 6.7 and 27.3% greater than dibbling and broadcasting methods, respectively. Among the 3 varieties, ‘Ratan’ gave the highest grain yield (1,672 kg/ha) mainly owing to greater number of pods/plant (59.4), maximum net income (`34,989/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.06) compared to ‘Prateek’ (1,605 kg/ha) and ‘Nirmal’ (1,507 kg/ha).

Crop establishment and nutrient management for production sustainability in rice (Oryza sativa)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) system in eastern India

In eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (EIGP), conventional rice (Oryza sativa L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system has led to a decline in total factor productivity, input-use efficiency, and profitability. A three-year (2020–2022) field experiment was conducted at the farmers’ fields in Merha village of Katoriya, Banka, Bihar on a sandy clay loam soil to evaluate the impact of crop establishment and nutrient management on production sustainability in rice-wheat cropping system. Experiments were conducted in a split-plot design and replicated thrice. The main-plot treatment had crop establishment methods, viz. (i) Broadcasting: paddy seed broadcasted manually; (ii) Dry seeding: seed drilled on moist soil; (iii) Drum-seeding: dry-seed planted using drum seeder on moist soil and; (iv) Wet-seeding: sprouted seeds broadcasted on puddle soil with variety Sabour Ardhjal in rainy (kharif) season and 4-wheat crop establishment method, viz. (i) Broadcasting in CT; (ii) Furrow irrigated raised-bed method; (iii) ZT-drill and; (iv) Seed-cum-ferti-drill machine for wheat variety HD 2967 in winter (rabi) season. The sub-plots were allotted four nutrient management treatments, viz. (i) Farmers’ practice (130:40:10 kg NPK/ha); (ii) 100% RDF (120: 60:40 kg NPK/ha); (iii) Soil- test-based nutrient management (100% chemical fertilizer-125:75:40 kg NPK/ha) and; (iv) Soil-test based nutrient management (75% chemical fertilizer-94:56:30 kg NPK/ha+25% FYM-6.2 t/ha) in wheat, and (i) Farmers practice (140:30:10 kg NPK/ha); (ii) 100% RDF (120:60:40 kg NPK/ha); (iii) Soil-test based nutrient management (100% chemical fertilizer-150:75:40 kg NPK/ha); (iv) Soil-test based nutrient management (75% chemical fertilizer-115:56:30 kg NPK/ha+25% FYM-7 t/ha) in wheat. Our results revealed that overall system productivity and profitability were higher by 44 and 155.5% in wet seeding paddy-ZT drill wheat system in comparison to broadcasting methods of rice and wheat. System productivity was significantly higher by 28.8% in soil-test based nutrient management production system as compared to the farmers' practices. Thus, to achieve better system productivity and profitability, crops may be grown with wet seeding paddy-ZT drill wheat with soil-test based nutrient management practices under eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains of eastern India.

Time-series Sentinel-1A SAR remote sensing of rice planting methods in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Timely and reliable agricultural data are essential to monitoring the implementation of rice intervention programs and policies aimed at sustainably reducing hunger and poverty. The difficulties associated with traditional data-gathering methods have made using satellite imagery for data acquisition imperative due to its coverage of large agricultural areas, high repetitive coverage, and cost-effectiveness. However, the use of satellite images for rice research in Nigeria is hampered by the peculiarities associated with methods of rice crop establishment, where manual transplanting and direct seeding methods are practiced in single rice plots due to financial constraints. To examine the effect of different planting methods on sensor signals, we analysed the temporal variation of Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Also, the relationship between SAR backscatter coefficients and field-measured rice plant parameters (wet biomass and plant height) as a function of planting methods was determined in contrast to similar studies where only the temporal variations in the planting methods were investigated. Multi-temporal, dual-polarised C-band Sentinel-1A backscatter data at 20 m spatial resolution and field measurements were simultaneously acquired every 12 days over the study area during the rainy season, from August to December 2019, in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Average backscatter values were derived per sampling rice plot, with the temporal profiles of rice SAR backscatter plotted to show variability due to planting methods. Simple regression analysis determined the relationships between measured rice parameters and VH (Vertical transmit, Horizontal receive) and VV (Vertical transmit, Vertical receive) polarisation backscatter coefficients. Results revealed variations in the temporal profile and responses of transplanted and direct-seeded rice fields at different crop growth stages. Regression analysis showed that VH and VV backscatter values for transplanted rice were significantly related to wet rice biomass (R2 = 0.6; 0.51) and rice plant height (R2 = 0.5; 0.59). Conversely, wet biomass (R2 = 0.24; 0.19) and plant height (R2 = 0.18; 0.2) were reported for broadcasted rice for VH and VV polarisations, respectively. These findings show that significant differences exist in the SAR backscatter responses of these crop establishment methods, affecting the retrieved data's accuracy and reliability. Therefore, a cautious approach is advocated in using SAR data from small rice plots with multiple planting methods.

Assessing the Effects of Conservation Tillage and In-Situ Crop Residue Management on Crop Yield and Soil Properties in Rice–Wheat Cropping System

Rice–wheat cropping system (RWCS) is a dominant agricultural practice in the Indo-Gangetic plains, particularly in the North–Western states of India. The prevalent practice of open burning of rice residue, driven by the need for timely land preparation, poses severe environmental and health consequences, including nutrient loss, greenhouse gas emissions, high concentrations of particulate matter (PM), and disruption of the ecological cycle. This study focuses on implementing effective management practices in the RWCS through tillage-based crop establishment, residue retention, and incorporation methods. The objective is to improve crop yield and its attributes by enhancing soil health properties. A split-plot experimental design was practiced with four different treatments, zero-tillage with manual harvesting (ZT), Happy Seeder with combine harvester (HS), Happy Seeder with Mulcher and combine harvesting, and conventional tillage (CT). By evaluating soil nutrient content, including organic carbon (OC), N, P, and K, at a 0–10 cm depth, the study demonstrates the superiority of the mulcher with Happy Seeder (MHS), which significantly increased soil nutrient levels by 105, 59, 102, and 97%, respectively, compared to conventional tilled broadcasted wheat (CT). Furthermore, the MHS treatment exhibited the highest yield of 56.8 q ha−1, outperforming the yield of 43.6 q ha−1 recorded under conventional tilled broadcasted wheat. These findings underscore the critical role of surface residue retention with MHS in ensuring crop productivity and overall production sustainability of the RWCS in Haryana, India. Moreover, effective rice residue management holds long-term implications for agricultural resilience, farm economics, environmental conservation, and human health. It emphasizes the importance of adopting sustainable practices, prioritizing research efforts, and advocating for policies that ensure the prolonged sustainability and productivity of the RWCS while safeguarding environmental well-being.

Combining sub-surface fertigation with conservation agriculture in intensively irrigated rice under rice-wheat system can be an option for sustainably improving water and nitrogen use-efficiency

ContextThe rice-wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) of South Asia has been shown to have higher productivity. However, this benefit is offset by the unsustainable over-drafting of groundwater resources. Given the growing scarcity of water, it is imperative to investigate alternative crop establishment and irrigation methods that do not rely on the conventional puddled transplanting method (PTR). ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the impact of combining conservation agriculture-CA with sub-surface drip irrigation-SSD referred to as CA+, at different nitrogen (N) doses on physiological performance, crop yield, irrigation and nitrogen use-efficiency, as well as farm profitability of rice in the north-western IGP of India. MethodA two-year field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of medium-term CA and the combination of CA with SSD (CA+) at three levels of N (0%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended dose), in comparison to PTR using recommended dose of nitrogen-RDN (120 kg N ha-1). Indicators of crop growth (under CA, CA+), i.e., biomass, grain yield, water-use, water-use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE), and economic analysis of rice production were evaluated and compared with PTR. ResultThe results revealed that the PTR plots produced 15% and 11% higher grain yield than CA and CA+ systems, respectively, even at 100%RDN, due to a significantly higher number of fertile tillers. However, the application of 100%RDN and irrigation through SSD resulted in a significant increase in nitrogen uptake (4.5%) and remobilization (7.5%) into the grain compared to PTR. The CA+ plots demonstrated a reduction in irrigation water usage by 1.5 and 2 times compared to the CA and PTR systems, leading to a respective increase in WUE by 1.6% and 1.8%. PTR exhibited highest net returns, while the CA+ treatment– SSD-N100 achieved the highest benefit-cost ratio. ConclusionThe combination of CA with SSD at 100%RDN offers significant benefits, including notable water saving, improved WUE, NUE and crop yield. This integrated approach presents a promising solution to address the pressing issues of food security and sustainability arising from water scarcity and groundwater depletion in South Asia. Future implicationThere is a need to increase awareness among farmers about the benefits of CA coupled with SSD i.e., CA+ , for water-intensive rice-based systems. Additionally, further research should focus on identifying ideal rice cultivars suitable for CA+ systems and determining the optimal specifications for drip lines and emitter discharge rates for diverse water-scarce agro-ecological conditions.