Sustainability Of Rice-wheat Cropping System Research Articles

Effect of boron fertilization on productivity and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system in Tarai region, North-West India

Extensive global dependency on rice and wheat crops has necessitated the adoption of intensive cultivation practices, thereby compelling to closely monitor the potential yield-limiting factors, among which, boron (B) deficiency stands out to be a prime concern. The present study explores the effects of B fertilization strategies within the Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS) in the Tarai region of North-West India. A comprehensive six-year field experiment was conducted (2013–2019) at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, India. The experiment tested graded B doses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg ha−1) at varied frequencies (single, alternate, and annual) in a factorial design. The study revealed significant impacts of alternate B application at 1.5 kg ha−1 on crop yields and the Sustainable Yield Index (SYI). The System Rice Equivalent Yield (SREY) exhibited an increase of 6.7% with B supplementation over B-deprived plots, highlighting the pivotal role of B fertilizer in enhancing productivity within the RWCS. The economic optimum B dose was found to be 1.422 kg ha−1 using a linear plus plateau model, resulting in a calculated annual SREY of 9.73 t ha−1 when applied alternately to the cropping system. Continuous application and higher B rates demonstrated substantial increases in various B fractions, while the mobility factor remained within 10%, depicting safe ecological limits. The distribution of fractions in B-treated plots on average followed the order: residual B > organically-bound B > oxide bound B > specifically adsorbed B > readily soluble B. Similarities in the distribution patterns of B fractions between B-treated plots and the control indicated potential influence of biotic or abiotic processes on B fraction dynamics, even in the absence of external B application. To sum up, B application in alternate years at 1.5 kg ha−1 was most sustainable in enhancing the SREY, SYI, available soil B, and B fractions and lowering the environmental hazards.

Scale to Assess the Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Cropping System

Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS) is a principle cropping system followed in Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP). Though this monocropping system plays a key role in India’s food sufficiency, it has led to various problems such as soil degradation, groundwater exploitation, environmental damage, yield plateau etc., posing challenge and risk to its sustainability. The scale was developed during 2021-22 to assess the perception level of farmers about the sustainability issues in RWCS. Summated rating scale method by Likert with standardized procedures was used to develop this scale. A total of 54 items were collected and sent to experts for relevancy analysis. Based on the results of relevancy analysis, a schedule consisting of 43 items was used to conduct personally interviewed pre-test. The items were further screened for their differentiating ability and thus, the final scale consisted of 31 items. The scale was found to be valid and reliable as ascertained by content validity and split half test reliability method, respectively. The reliability coefficient of 0.884 indicated the higher internal consistency.

Temporal changes in rhizosphere biological soil quality indicators of wheat in response to nitrogen and straw incorporation

Soil health and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) in the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) in South Asia are possibly adversely influenced due to in-situ burning of large quantities of rice residues. Instead of burning, it is increasingly being advocated to incorporate the crop residues into the soil. In a field experiment, effects of four nitrogen (N) levels (0, 90, 120 and 150 kg N ha− 1) as main-plots and four levels of rice straw (RS) incorporation (to a depth of 0.10–0.15 m) (0, 5, 7.5 and 10 t ha− 1) as sub-plots in split plot design were studied on soil enzymatic activities at two stages i.e. maximum tillering (MT) and flowering (FL) of wheat, and crop yield after 7 years. Activities of dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, phytase, urease, l-asparaginase, cellulase, xylanase, β-glucosidase, peroxidase and phenol oxidase enzymes and grain yield of wheat in the treatment receiving 120 kg N ha− 1 and 10 t ha− 1 RS incorporation were significantly higher than in the control (without N and RS incorporation). The enzyme activities except peroxidase and phenol oxidase were dominated in rhizosphere than in the bulk soil, and at MT rather than at FL stage. Principal component analysis revealed that l-asparaginase, and phenol oxidase activities can be used as the most sensitive and reliable indicators for assessing soil quality under RWCS when rice residues are incorporated into the soil.

Tillage and weed control effect on weeds and wheat productivity

A 3-year study was conducted to assess the impact of tillage and weed control practices on weed flora and wheat productivity. Experiments were conducted during Rabi season of 2012–13 to 2014–15 at GBPUA&T, Pantnagar, with clayloam soil. There were five crop establishment methods, viz. Transplanted rice (conventional tillage) (TPR)- wheat (conventional tillage) (CTW) (TPR-CTW), Transplanted rice (conventional tillage)- wheat (zero tillage)-Sesbania green manuring (S) (TPR-ZTW-S), Direct-seeded rice (conventional tillage)-wheat (conventional tillage)-Sesbania incorporation (S) (DSR-CTW-S), Directseeded rice (zero tillage)-wheat (zero tillage)-Sesbania brown manuring (S) (ZTR-ZTW-S) and Direct-seeded rice (zero tillage) + residue retention-wheat (zero tillage) + residue retention-Sesbania brown manuring (S) (ZTR + R-ZTW+R-ZTS) and three weed control methods [(weedy check, recommended herbicide (Recommended ready-mix herbicide clodinafop 15% + MSM 1% (60 + 4 g/ha) and integrated weed management i.e., clodinafop 15% + MSM 1% 60 + 4 g/ha fb manual weeding at 45 days after seeding (DAS)]. Continuous zero-till cropping system along with residue retention and brown manuring of Sesbania has resulted in the lowest total weed biomass at 60 DAS and greatly reduced the density of Phalaris minor, Medicago denticulata, Polygonum plebeium and Coronopusdidymus. However, density of C. didymus, Rumex acetosella and Vicia sativa was reduced under conventionally tilled wheat. Ready mix application of clodinafop 15% + MSM 1% supplemented with one hand weeding at 45 DAS greatly reduced the density and biomass of weeds. The maximum wheat grain (4.5 t/ha) and straw (6.3 t/ha) yields was achieved under zero-tilled wheat with rice residue retention and Sesbania as brown manure. The integration of clodinafop 15% + MSM 1% with 1 HW at 45 DAS resulted in an increase in grain and straw yields by 45.5% and 30.8%, respectively, over weedy check. It may inferred that in wheat cultivation conventional tillage could be replaced with zero-tillage along with residue retention by growing of Sesbania and the application of 2,4-D at 30 days stage to attain sustainability of ricewheat cropping system.

Phosphorus skipping effect on productivity, profitability and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping systems in Indo-Gangetic plains of India

ABSTRACTA field experiment was conducted for eight years at ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana, India to study the skipping effect of P application on productivity, profitability and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system. Rice yield and biomass were 8.35% and 6.6% higher where cowpea was grown after wheat compared to rice-vegetable pea-wheat crop sequence, respectively. Phosphorus application to rice or wheat or both crops exhibited at par rice grain yield, biomass, harvest index. Phosphorus application to both crops or only in rice crop produced maximum and significantly higher wheat yield (4.62 t ha−1) as compared to P application only to wheat (4.48 t ha−1). Eight years growing of green gram, cowpea and vegetable pea increased the organic carbon content 42.89, 16.38 and 4.57 %, respectively compared to the initial level. Skipping of P to either crop, by considering 13.5 million ha rice-wheat area, will save approximately Rs 40,500 million (Rs = Indian rupee) or US $ 623 million ($ = Rs 65) per year. Air pollution may be checked, due to saving on diesel in transportation of P fertilizer, to the tune of 60,383 tonnes of CO2 per year by reducing emission of one of important global warming gas.

Yield trends and nutrient budgeting under a long-term (28 years) nutrient management in rice-wheat cropping system under subtropical climatic condition

We measured the long-term (28 years) sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system under integrated nutrient management practices emphasizing the trends in grain yields, sustainable yield index (SYI) and nutrient budgeting. The data of long-term experiment revealed that grain yield of both rice and wheat declined under control and sub-optimal fertilizer inputs (50% or 75% recommended fertilizer NPK). Negative yield trend (slope) was observed in control plots for rice (–0.0296) and wheat (–0.0070); whereas positive yield trend was observed under treatments receiving organic supplements. The SYI values indicate that rice yields are more sustainable than wheat. Data on apparent nutrient balance showed a deficit of N (–42.2 kg/ha/year), P (–9.1 kg/ha/year) and K (–52.2 kg/ha/year) under control plots. Surprisingly, there was net depletion of K under the organic supplemented plots. Correlation study revealed that apparent balance of K was negatively correlated with SYI (r = –0.921 for rice; r = –0.914 for wheat) and yield slope (r = –0.870 for rice; r = –0.896 for wheat). If the trend of K imbalance is not reversed, the potential to improve N and P fertilizer use efficiency and crop yields will be limited.

Farmers’ Perceptions about Constraints in Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Cropping System in Haryana

Rice-wheat (RW) is the most important cropping system of irrigated areas and widely practiced in the Gangetic plains in Haryana. Stagnation in land productivity, particularly of the RW system, has been observed over the past few years in the northern and northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains. A survey was undertaken in Haryana, covering the RW system in Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Kaithal districts. Using the multistage random sampling, 160 RW growing farmers were selected covering small, medium and large land owners. Data were collected by using personal interview method during 2011. The farmers perceived erratic power supply, non-availability of labour, non-availability of seeds of newly released variety, increasing incidence of insect, pest and diseases and lack of knowledge among farmers about newly released technology as the major constraints in sustainability of RW cropping system. Rice and wheat productivity in Haryana can be increased by making some policy decisions like providing regular power supply during crop growth period, good quality seed, fertilisers, pesticides and educating the farmers on latest technologies.

City Waste Compost and Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Cropping System

An experiment was conducted on Rhodic Ustochrept soil in Central Hill of Nepal growingwheat-mungbean-rice in rotation. Grain yields as affected by 28 t ha-1 a of town compost werecompared with the same amount of farmyard manure and N:P:K (120:60:40). NPK producedsignificantly higher wheat grain (3897 t ha-1). Other yield results were at par with one another.NPK produced lowest mungbean yield. After growing second crop fertility seems to beexhausted thus rice yield indicated no notable residual fertilising effect. FYM and town compostleft noteworthy amounts of P, Ca, Mg and K even after rice harvest.Key words: Organic manure; plant nutrients; sustainabilityDOI: 10.3126/narj.v7i0.1868Nepal Agriculture Research Journal Vol.7 2006 pp.49-53

Influence of Spring Season Crop Residue on Productivity of Rice-Wheat Cropping System

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of cultivation and plant residue incorporation of blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper], mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek], cowpea (Vigna sinensis L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and maize+blackgram on response of rice to two levels (0 and 90 kg ha-1) of nitrogen and their residual effects on nitrogen management of subsequent wheat crop. The experiment was carried out in Randomized Complete Block design in spring, Split Plot design in rainy, and Split-Split plot design in winter seasons of 2000 at Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. Results showed that cultivation and incorporation of different spring season crop’s (legume and cereal) residue into the soil did not significantly affect rice yield. Such trend was also observed on wheat grain yield when spring season crops were followed by rice in a sequential cropping system. Significantly higher (p<0.001) rice equivalent yield (6.56 t ha-1) and net profit (Rs. 46489 ha-1) were obtained under mungbean-rice sequence. Similarly, significantly higher (p<0.001) wheat equivalent yield (8.74 t ha-1) and net profit (Rs. 44811 ha-1) were obtained under mungbean-rice-wheat sequence. Significantly higher yield of rice was obtained under 90 kg N ha-1 compared to control and had significant residual effect of N on wheat grain yield. Nitrogen topdressed at crown root initiation (CRI) and panicle initiation (PI) stages did not influence significantly on the grain yield of wheat. Therefore, for the long term sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system, inclusion of mungbean in the spring (fallow) season could be considered promising practice.
 
 Key words: Rice-wheat cropping system, sustainability, residue incorporation, nitrogen
 
 J. Inst. Agric. Anim. Sci. 27:53-58 (2006)