Resource Conservation Practices Research Articles

Resource Use Efficiency and Economics of Summer Greengram as Influenced by Land Configuration and Irrigation Regimes in North-western Part of India

Background: Pulses form a crucial protein component of the human diet and among the pulses, greengram is third most important pulse crop in India. Water is a critical input for sustained crop production and is becoming limited day by day. Hence, the need of the hour is to evaluate effective resource conservation practices, such as land configurations and scientific scheduling of irrigation to achieve higher productivity, profitability and resource use efficiency. The aim of the study was to identify most resource efficient and economical land configuration, irrigation regimes for summer greengram under sandy loam soils of northwestern India. Methods: The experiment was conducted during the summer of 2022 on Student’s farm, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab to investigate the performance of summer greengram as influenced by land configuration and irrigation regimes. The experiment was carried out in a strip plot design consisting of 12 treatment combinations and three replications. The treatment included three land configurations viz, (L1: Flatbed, L2: Ridge and furrow and L3: Broad bed furrow) and four different irrigation regimes [Irrigating at critical growth stages (I1), 0.60 IW/CPE (I2), 0.75 IW/CPE (I3) and 0.90 IW/CPE (I4)]. Result: Among three land configurations tried, L3 recorded significantly higher water productivity, NUE and net return. Similarly, I1 recorded significantly higher water productivity whereas I4 recorded significantly higher NUE and net return. Among the treatment combinations, I1L3 recorded significantly higher water productivity (0.262 kg m-3) whereas I3L3 recorded significantly higher NUE (25.16 kg seed kg nutrient-1) and net income (₹ 72,848 ha-1) as compared to other treatment combinations. Hence, I1L3 and I4L3 can be recommended to farmers for growing summer greengram under sandy loam soil conditions in water scare regions and assured irrigation situation, respectively.

Enhancing domestic food supply in the UAE: A framework for technology-driven urban farming systems

It is estimated that the recent ongoing supply chain disruptions have forced a transition in the traditional food supply chain business models. Organizations across all sectors are now adopting digital transformation strategies for embracing the new normal. Food security in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is threatened by country's heavy reliance on food imports. Innovative urban farming systems are anticipated to improve the food security and sustainability to a great extent. Using a survey-based methodology, the present study aims to develop, validate, and apply a multi-dimensional innovative urban food production system framework for UAEs agricultural sector. Based on the data collected from 299 stakeholders across the whole agri-food supply chains in the UAE, the study determines ways of reducing dependency on food imports by scaling up technology-driven and resource-efficient innovative urban farming systems. Data were analysed and the model were moderated using Analysis of MOment Structures (AMOS) and Partial Least Squares- Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings from the study highlight that digital technology moderates the relationship between innovative urban farming systems and sustainable urban farming. Resource efficiency and conservation practices were positively associated with sustainable urban farming. The study offers several managerial and theoretical insights.

The effects of environmental pollution on food security in Malaysia

Environmental pollution has emerged as a critical global challenge, significantly affecting various aspects of human life, including food security. This research paper investigates the effects of environmental pollution on agricultural output (a proxy for food security) in Malaysia from 1990 to 2020, utilising the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method. The results obtained from the bounds cointegration testing approach provided strong evidence supporting the existence of a long-term relationship among Methane emissions in the energy sector (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent) (CH4), Carbon dioxide emissions (metric tons per capita) (CO2), Nitrous oxide emissions in the energy sector (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent) (N2O), GDP, population, index of agricultural total factor productivity, and agricultural output. Estimation of long-run and short-run ARDL with diagnostic and model stability reveals that there is a positive correlation between the index of agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) and agricultural output in Malaysia in all four of the models analysed. The discoveries illuminate the possible mechanisms by which environmental pollution affects food security in Malaysia, offering valuable insights to policymakers and stakeholders for crafting effective strategies toward sustainable development. By uncovering the implications of environmental degradation on food availability, access, and nutritional quality, the study highlights the urgency of addressing environmental challenges to ensure long-term food security for the Malaysian population. Moreover, the study can serve as a basis for formulating sustainable policies that promote resource conservation, waste management, and eco-friendly practices in the agricultural and industrial sectors, fostering a harmonious coexistence between economic development and environmental preservation.

From Trash to Treasure: Unlocking the Power of Resource Conservation, Recycling, and Waste Management Practices

“Trash to Treasure” refers to transforming discarded or unwanted items, often considered trash or waste, into valuable or desirable products [...]

Impact of long-term resource conservation techniques on biogeochemical characteristics and biological soil quality indicators in a rice green-gram farming system.

Nutrient management in resource conservation practices influence the structural and functional microbial diversities and thereby affect biological processes and biochemical properties in soil. We studied the long-term effects of resource conservation technologies on functional microbial diversity and their interactions with soil biochemical properties and enzymatic activities in tropical rice-green gram cropping system. The experiment includes seven treatments viz., conventional practice (CC), brown manuring (BM), green manuring (GM), wet direct drum sowing, zero tillage, green manuring-customized leaf colour chart based-N application (GM-CLCC-N) and biochar (BC) application. The result of the present study revealed that microbial biomass nitrogen (N), carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) in GM practice were increased by 23.3, 37.7 and 35.1%, respectively than CC. GM, BM and GM-CLCC-N treatments provide higher yields than conventional practice. The average well color development value, Shannon index and McIntosh index were significantly higher by 26.6%, 86.9% and 29.2% in GM as compared to control treatment. So, from this study we can conclude that resource conservation practices like GM, GM-CLCC N and BM in combination with chemical fertilizers provide easily decomposable carbon source to support the microbial growth. Moreover, dominance of microbial activity in biomass amended treatments (GM, GM-CLCC N and BM) indicated that these treatments could supply good amount of labile C sources on real time basis for microbial growth that may protect the stable C fraction in soil, hence could support higher yield and soil organic carbon build-up in long run under rice-green gram soil.

GIS-based revised universal soil loss equation for estimating annual soil erosion: a case of lower Kulsi basin, India

Assessment and estimation of soil loss is a fundamental aspect of land and water resource conservation and management practices as it provides necessary information in the course of watershed-level development of a region. The soil loss model of Wischmeier and Smith, popularly known as the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, was selected to estimate soil loss in the lower Kulsi river basin due to its simplicity, versatility, and flexibility nature method in the Geographic information system platform. Most original governmental datasets, mainly daily gauge rainfall from 2009 to 2018, satellite images for land use land cover, digital elevation model of Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission for topographic factor, and National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land-use Planning, India soil map were utilized to estimate the average annual soil erosion. The estimated average annual soil erosion ranges from 0.0 to 6.45 thousand t ha−1y−1, grouped into low, moderate, high, and very high risk of soil erosion. A basin area of 36.235 km2 (1.85%) basin area was identified as high to very high zones of soil erosion risk and needed immediate conservation measures to reduce the erosion risk.

Mechanistic Understanding of Leakage and Consequences and Recent Technological Advances in Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Cereals

Although nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for agricultural production, its overuse is associated with environmental pollution, increased concentration of greenhouse gases, and several human and animal health implications. These implications are greatly affected by biochemical transformations and losses of N such as volatilization, leaching, runoff, and denitrification. Half of the globally produced N fertilizers are used to grow three major cereals—rice, wheat, and maize—and their current level of N recovery is approximately 30–50%. The continuously increasing application of N fertilizers, despite lower recovery of cereals, can further intensify the environmental and health implications of leftover N. To address these implications, the improvement in N use efficiency (NUE) by adopting efficient agronomic practices and modern breeding and biotechnological tools for developing N efficient cultivars requires immediate attention. Conventional and marker-assisted selection methods can be used to map quantitative trait loci, and their introgression in elite germplasm leads to the creation of cultivars with better NUE. Moreover, gene-editing technology gives the opportunity to develop high-yielding cultivars with improved N utilization capacity. The most reliable and cheap methods include agronomic practices such as site-specific N management, enhanced use efficiency fertilizers, resource conservation practices, precision farming, and nano-fertilizers that can help farmers to reduce the environmental losses of N from the soil–plant system, thus improving NUE. Our review illuminates insights into recent advances in local and scientific soil and crop management technologies, along with conventional and modern breeding technologies on how to increase NUE that can help reduce linked N pollution and health implications.

Indigenous Water Resource Conservation Practices in Contemporary Ghanaian Society

This position paper discusses indigenous water resource conservation practices and modern methods to address challenges in Akwamu traditional area in the Eastern region of Ghana. Africa is bedeviled with environmental crisis in this 21st century, and this has been a major concern to environmental conservationists. In Ghana, one of such environmental crisis is pollution of water bodies as a result of indiscriminate human activities. Some have argued that non-recognition of indigenous knowledge in the management of water resources has been one of the major challenges of water resource crisis in Africa and Ghana is no exception. In the life and thought of indigenous people of Ghana, studies confirm that conservation of water resources is enforced through traditional religiously governed norms which have stood the test of time before formal institutions responsible for biodiversity conservation were established by government. Using Akwamu traditional area in Ghana as a case, this study explores how the indigenous people manage water bodies and to find out the possibility of incorporating indigenous knowledge practices and modern methods to address the current water resource problems in Ghana. Primary and secondary sources are employed for data collection. The study is carried out within the concept of ‘worldview’ to understand how indigenous people manage the environment through their indigenous belief systems. The findings are that; indigenous knowledge practices are potential tools for addressing water resource crisis in Ghana. The study also indicates that if indigenous knowledge practices are used alongside with the modern methods in water resource management, our water resource problems would be minimized if not totally solved in Africa.

Recent trends in nitrogen cycle and eco-efficient nitrogen management strategies in aerobic rice system.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is considered as a staple food for more than half of the global population, and sustaining productivity under a scarcity of resources is challenging to meet the future food demands of the inflating global population. The aerobic rice system can be considered as a transformational replacement for traditional rice, but the widespread adaptation of this innovative approach has been challenged due to higher losses of nitrogen (N) and reduced N-use efficiency (NUE). For normal growth and developmental processes in crop plants, N is required in higher amounts. N is a mineral nutrient and an important constituent of amino acids, nucleic acids, and many photosynthetic metabolites, and hence is essential for normal plant growth and metabolism. Excessive application of N fertilizers improves aerobic rice growth and yield, but compromises economic and environmental sustainability. Irregular and uncontrolled use of N fertilizers have elevated several environmental issues linked to higher N losses in the form of nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3), and nitrate (NO3–), thereby threatening environmental sustainability due to higher warming potential, ozone depletion capacities, and abilities to eutrophicate the water resources. Hence, enhancing NUE in aerobic rice has become an urgent need for the development of a sustainable production system. This article was designed to investigate the major challenge of low NUE and evaluate recent advances in pathways of the N cycle under the aerobic rice system, and thereby suggest the agronomic management approaches to improve NUE. The major objective of this review is about optimizing the application of N inputs while sustaining rice productivity and ensuring environmental safety. This review elaborates that different soil conditions significantly shift the N dynamics via changes in major pathways of the N cycle and comprehensively reviews the facts why N losses are high under the aerobic rice system, which factors hinder in attaining high NUE, and how it can become an eco-efficient production system through agronomic managements. Moreover, it explores the interactive mechanisms of how proper management of N cycle pathways can be accomplished via optimized N fertilizer amendments. Meanwhile, this study suggests several agricultural and agronomic approaches, such as site-specific N management, integrated nutrient management (INM), and incorporation of N fertilizers with enhanced use efficiency that may interactively improve the NUE and thereby plant N uptake in the aerobic rice system. Additionally, resource conservation practices, such as plant residue management, green manuring, improved genetic breeding, and precision farming, are essential to enhance NUE. Deep insights into the recent advances in the pathways of the N cycle under the aerobic rice system necessarily suggest the incorporation of the suggested agronomic adjustments to reduce N losses and enhance NUE while sustaining rice productivity and environmental safety. Future research on N dynamics is encouraged under the aerobic rice system focusing on the interactive evaluation of shifts among activities and diversity in microbial communities, NUE, and plant demands while applying N management measures, which is necessary for its widespread adaptation in face of the projected climate change and scarcity of resources.

Conservation agriculture-impact on the productivity and economy of various cropping systems of Central India

Present field research work of different resource conservation practices on cropping systems was studied in both the season i.e. Kharif and Rabi season during 2010- 2012 at Research Farm, J.N. KrishiVishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (M.P). Research Farm of Kymore plateau and Satpura hill region of Madhya Pradesh which is located at Central India. Results received from the experiment indicated that the Conventional tillage has demonstrated its supremacy over limited tillage with more total production in terms of rice equivalent yield (REY) and economic point of view. The mulch application significantly promotes the production of the tillage system without the mulch, but no mulch has a higher Net Monetary Return (NMR) than the applied mulch. The application of recommended dose of fertilizers, in which 25% Nitrogen supplied through organic sources resulted in greater total production in term of REY of cropping system of the area than the recommended dose of fertilizers alone, but economically greater Net Monetary Returns was observed in 100% recommended dose of fertilizers. The existing cropping system Rice-Berseem purely not only gave higher total production in term of REY, but the most selective choice for the conservation of resource in the Kymore plateau region, and fetched the maximum NMR and B:C ratio.

Impact of Soil Rejuvenating Scheme on Income of Cotton Farmers – An Evidence from Kalaburagi District of Karnataka

Rainfed areas are not only thirsty but also hungry for nutrients and are hotspots of poverty, malnutrition, and degradation of natural resources. Looking into these aspects, the Government of Karnataka has implemented a mission mode project called “Bhoochetana” meaning “reviving the soils” to benefit dryland farmers for sustainable use of natural resources in Karnataka. This scheme aimed at enhancing the yield level of major dryland crops through integrated crop management (ICM) practices. The study has been conducted in the Kalaburagi District of Karnataka State, where the majority of the area under agriculture is rainfed and cotton is one of the major rainfed crops grown on a large scale. The study revealed that the yield of the main product from cotton production for Bhoochetana beneficiary farmers was higher with 23.18 quintals per hectare compared to non-beneficiary farmers with 21.36 quintals. The results of partial budgeting showed that, a net gain of ₹ 4660 per hectare was obtained by Bhoochetana scheme beneficiaries over non-beneficiary farmers. The study highlighted that, there is a positive significant effect of the scheme on the production of cotton. Therefore, the policies must focus on long-term soil, water, and other natural resource conservation practices to achieve sustainability in agriculture.

Resource allocation to a structural biomaterial: Induced production of byssal threads decreases growth of a marine mussel

Abstract The biomechanics of specialized mechanical structures produced by organisms provides crucial fitness advantages. The energetic cost associated with producing these structural materials and the resulting energetic trade‐off with growth, however, is rarely quantified. We integrate resource allocation to structural material production with an energetic framework by combining an experimental manipulation with an energetic model. Mytilid bivalves produce byssus, a network of collagen‐like threads that tethers individuals to hard substrate. We hypothesized that a manipulation that induces the production of more byssal threads would result in increased energetic cost and decreased growth of the species Mytilus trossulus. In month‐long field experiments in spring and autumn, we severed byssal threads across a range of frequencies (never, weekly, daily), and measured shell and tissue growth. We then quantified the costs associated with the production of byssal threads using a Scope for Growth model. We found that byssal thread removal increased byssal thread production and decreased growth. The cost calculated per byssal thread was similar in the spring and autumn (~1 J/thread), but energy budget calculations differed by season, and depended on thread quantity and seasonal differences in assumptions of metabolic costs. This work demonstrates that the cost of producing a structural material has a substantial effect on mussel energetic state. The energetic cost of producing byssal threads was 2%–8% percent of the energy budget in control groups that had low byssal thread production, and increased six to 11‐fold (up to 47%) in mussels induced to produce threads daily. We propose that characterizing the trade‐off between the cost of biomaterial production and growth has implications for understanding the role of trade‐offs in adaptive evolution, and improved natural resource management and conservation practices. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Soil quality management through conservation agriculture and other practices for higher productivity in rainfed agriculture amidst climate change

The soils in the rainfed region are at the verge of degradation by virtue of several regions. The major reasons which degrade soil quality and deteriorate its productive capacity could be: i) washing away of topsoil and organic matter associated with clay size fractions due to water erosion, ii) intensive deep tillage and inversion tillage with moldboard and disc plough resulting in a) fast decomposition of remnants of crop residues which is catalyzed by high temperature, b) breaking of stable soil aggregates and aggravating the process of oxidation of entrapped organic C and c) disturbance to the habitat of soil microflora and fauna and loss in microbial diversity, iii) less use of fertilizers and widening of plant nutrients removal-use gap , iv) mining and other commercial activities such as use of top soil for other than agricultural purpose, v) mono cropping without following any suitable rotation, vi) nutrient imbalance caused due to disproportionate use of primary, secondary and micronutrients, vii) no or low use of organic manures and poor recycling of farm based crop residues viii) no or low green manuring ix) poor nutrient use efficiency x) indiscriminate use of other agricultural inputs such as herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, etc., , xi) water logging, salinity and alkalinity and acid soils.As a result of several above-mentioned reasons, soils encounter diversity of constraints broadly on account of physical, chemical and biological soil health and ultimately low productivity. Amidst climatic variation and climatic change, there are likelihoods of occurring more degradation of soil resource. Under such situation, conservation agriculture and other resource conservation practices have proved quite effectivein protecting thesoil fromfurther degradation andin restoration of soil quality. This review paper deals withdifferent aspectsof soil quality management through conservation agriculture and other resource conservation techniques.

Short-Term Effect of Resource Conservation Practices on Soil Loss, Productivity and Energy Budgeting of Soybean–Mustard System in Table Lands of Chambal Ravine

Soil loss is the emerging issue and challenge for sustaining crop production, especially in rainfed ecosystem. Resource conservation with locally available amendments would provide protection against erosion and improve soil health. With this background, an experiment with combination of various amendments like gypsum, crop residue (CR), farm yard manure (FYM) with and without fertilizers was carried out in soybean–mustard cropping system in table lands under rainfed conditions of south eastern Rajasthan. Results of the experiment showed that resource conservation treatments (gypsum + CR + FYM) with fertilizers significantly improved grain yield by 53% over no amendment applied plots. Mean reduction in soil loss ~ 29% and runoff ~ 26% with combined application of gypsum, CR, FYM treatments in soybean was observed. Higher net returns (Rs 52,010 ha−1) and B:C (1.11) values were also observed in the treatment. Gypsum application reduced ESP values, enhanced soil S content and CR, FYM improved SOC content thereby conserving soil and water. Treatments with CR as amendment resulted in higher energy output, energy profitability, energy intensiveness, and treatments without CR showed highest energy efficiency (10.2) and energy productivity (8.2 kg MJ−1). Short-term effect of using economic and effective amendments has significant impact on resource conservation, productivity, energy parameters and by resource poor farmers to conserve soil and water and improve crop yield in rainfed ecosystem of India.

Effect of resource conservation practices on yield attributes and yield in maize based cropping system

The present investigation was carried out during Kharif and Rabi seasons of 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Students Instructional Farm (SIF) of C.S. Azad. University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur, entitled “Effect of resource conservation practices on yield attributes and yield in maize based cropping system” The treatments were comprises of three cropping systems (Maize-Wheat, Maize-Field Pea and Maize-Mustard), two moisture conservation practices (Mulching and No mulching) and three nutrient management treatments (100% RDF, 85% RDF+2.5 tonne/ha FYM and 70% RDF+5.0 tonne/ha FYM application of FYM only in kharif season). The field experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with three replication. The effect of resource conservation practices was observed on yield attributes and yield in different cropping system. The highest growth attributes and yield was observed in mulching and 85% RDF+2.5 tonne/ha FYM treatments.

Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services

Ruminants including domestic livestock, have been accused of causing damaging impacts on the global environment and human well-being. However, with appropriate management, ruminant livestock can play a significant role in efforts to reverse environmental damages caused by human mismanagement and neglect. Worldwide, at least one billion people living in grazing ecosystems depend on them for their livelihoods, usually through livestock production, and for other ecosystem services that affect human well-being. For long-term rangeland sustainability and ecological resilience, agricultural production policies are urgently needed globally to transform current damaging industrial inorganic input agricultural practices to resource conservation practices that enhance ecosystem function. This is supported by evidence that farmers and ranchers who apply regenerative management practices to restore ecosystem functionality create sustainable, resilient agroecosystems cost-effectively. With enhanced management of grazing resources, domesticated ruminants can be used to produce higher permanent soil cover of litter and plants, which are effective in reducing soil erosion and increasing net biophysical carbon accumulation. Incorporating forages and ruminants into regeneratively managed cropping systems can also elevate soil organic carbon and improve soil ecological function and reduce production costs by eliminating the use of annual tillage, inorganic fertilizers and biocides. Ecosystem services that are enhanced using regenerative land management include soil stabilization and formation, water infiltration, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling and availability, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat, which cumulatively result in increased ecosystem and economic stability and resilience. Scientists partnering with farmers and ranchers around the world who have improved their land resource base and excel financially have documented how such land managers produce sound environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Many of these producers have used Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing management as a highly effective approach for managing their grazing lands sustainably. This approach uses short-duration grazing periods, long adaptively varied post-grazing plant recovery periods requiring multiple paddocks per herd to ensure adequate residual biomass, and adjustment of animal numbers as environmental and economic conditions change. Using this approach, farmers and ranchers have achieved superior ecosystem and profitability outcomes. This manuscript summarizes the use of AMP grazing as regenerative tool for grazed and rotationally cropped lands.

Response of Conservation Agriculture on System Productivity and Carbon Sequestration in Rice-Based Cropping Systems

Low crop yields due to constant monocropping systems and deteriorating soil health in a smallholder farmers’ field of Indo-Gangetic plains of India have led to a quest for sustainable production practices with greater resource use efficiencies. The aim of the study was to elucidate the short term effects of conservation agricultural systems on productivity, soil health and carbon sequestration rate of soils in three different diversified cropping systems. The treatments consisted of two different tillage systems (conventional and reduced tillage), two mulch levels (no and straw mulch) and two levels of fertility (100 and 75% RDF) were compared in three rice-based cropping systems (rice-wheat; rice-vegetable pea-greengram; and rice-potato-maize sequences) for two years on an experimental field (clay loam) located at Norman E Borlaug Crop Research Center, Pantnagar, India. The resource conservation technologies (RCT) i.e. reduced tillage, mulch, and 100% RDF had recorded 2.5 and 3.0% higher system productivity and relative production efficiency in rice-vegetablepea-greengram and rice-potato-maize sequences, respectively in two consecutive years. Conservation tillage had sequestered three times higher carbon than conventional tillage while mulching acted four times higher than non-mulched condition in agricultural soils. Even though cropping system not significant significantly influenced on carbon sequestration, rice-vegetablepea-greengram sequence had recorded higher carbon sequestration rate and higher soil organic carbon stock noted in surface plough sole layer than any other cropping systems. Therefore, our results suggested that Indo-Gangetic farmers should consider adopting resource conservation practices together in indogangetic area because of benefits to soil health, carbon sequestration and system productivity.

Consequence of resource conservation practices on yield and nutrient uptake of soybean under cotton-soybean rotation in vertisols

The present study was undertaken during 2016-17 at Research farm, Dr. PDKV, Akola. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with nine treatments replicated three times in Vertisols. The objectives were to evaluate the effect of different resource conservation practices on yield and nutrient uptake by soybean. The cotton based soybean rotation was followed since 2011-12. The present experiment was superimposed on soybean during 2016-17. The treatments comprised for soybean crop was recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) alone and their compensation with organics viz., FYM, phosphocompost (PC), neemcake, bio mulch (farm waste) and green leaf manuring. The results of the present experiment indicated that, comparatively higher seed (27.20 q ha-1) and straw yield (31.25 q ha-1) of soybean was recorded with RDF alone to soybean and 25% N through Neemcake + RDF compensation to cotton crop under cotton-soybean rotation. The application of RDF alone with 25% N through Neemcake + RDF compensation to cotton crop recorded higher N (187.6 kg ha-1), whereas, application of RDF + PC with 100% N (FYM) + compensation of P through phosphocompost to cotton recorded higher P uptake (18.41 kg ha-1). The K (51.78 kg ha-1) uptake was influenced significantly with the application of RDF with 25% N through Dhaincha loppings + RDF compensation to cotton. Hence, combined application of organic sources along with inorganic fertilizers is the most vital way to maintain yield of soybean relatively at higher level and uptake under cotton-soybean rotation in Vertisol.

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Performance of rice-wheat cropping system under resource conservation and various nutrient management practices

A field study was conducted during three consecutive years of 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 at university farm at Bihar Agricultural University, to assess the impact of resource conservation and nutrient management on yield, economics, and energetics of rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment was conducted in split plot design replicated thrice with three cropping system establishment methods viz. system of rice intensification + conventional wheat, transplanted rice + conventional wheat with 30% rice residue incorporation and direct seeded rice + zero tilled wheat with 30% rice residue incorporation as main plot and with three nutrient management practices viz. 100% of Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) through inorganic sources, 75% of RDF through inorganic sources + 25% of RDF through organic sources (vermicompost), 50% of RDF through inorganic sources + 50% of RDF through organic sources (vermicompost) and 100% of RDF through inorganic sources + mungbean as green manuring. It was obvious from the result that highest rice yield (48.7 qha-1) was from system of rice intensification + conventional wheat meanwhile highest wheat yield (47.0 qha-1) and system productivity (rice equivalent yield) (91.3 qha-1) was from direct seeded rice + zero tilled wheat with 30% rice residue incorporation. Moreover, the dominance of resource conservation practices on other practices was prevalent in the cropping system as highest B:C ratio (1.92) was obtained from direct seeded rice + zero tilled wheat with 30% rice residue incorporation. Lowest greenhouse gas emission i.e. CH4, CO2, N2O was from direct seeded rice with zero tilled wheat and residue incorporation at different stages of crop growth. Among different nutrient management practices highest yield both for rice (48.3qha-1) wheat (43.9qha-1) and rice equivalent yield (95.2 qha-1) was obtained from 100% of RDF through inorganic sources + mungbean as green manuring. Adding to this the B:C ratio was also least (1.84) from same, whereas lowest greenhouse gas emission (CH4, CO2) was from 100% inorganic fertilizers. And lowest nitrous oxide emission was from 50% inorganic and 50% organic fertilizers.