Zero-tillage Systems Research Articles

Characteristics of Production Factors and Production of Zero Tillage System Rice Farming

Zero tillage system is able to prepare the land for plants to grow and produce well by paying attention to the ecological balance of the environment, especially water and soil. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of production factors and production characteristics of rice paddy farming with no-tillage system. This research used descriptive method, conducted in Taram village, Harau sub-district. Sample determination using snowball sampling method, with a total sample of 50 farmers. Data collection by interview using questionnaires for primary data and documentation method for secondary data. Data analysis used qualitative descriptive analysis with a triangulation approach. The results showed the characteristics of production factors include: paddy field area 0.25 - 2.0 ha, seed requirement 8 - 60 kg/acre, compost fertiliser 0.25 - 2 tonnes/acre, Urea fertiliser 25 - 200 kg, NPK Phonska fertiliser 25 - 200 kg, herbicide 1 - 3 litres, insecticide 1 - 2 litres, labour consists of labour within the family and labour outside the family, including: Labour and female labour, and capital consists of cash, hoes, and knapsack sprayers. The amount of farm labour can be reduced by up to 145%, especially in land preparation activities, because there is no tillage and only spraying of residual rice stalks and weeds. Rice production characteristics: Total production of 800 - 6,200 Kg/acre, with an average of 2,262.80 Kg. The selling price of rice production was IDR 7,500/kg - IDR 7,800/kg, with an average of IDR 7,710/Kg.

Effect of Zero Tillage on Soil Properties, Weed Dynamics and Performance of Chickpea under Rice –Chickpea Cropping System: A Review

In many nations across the world, farming is an important industry. Sustainable farming methods known as zero tillage systems entail planting seeds without tillage, which disturbs the soil. With this approach, crop residues from the previous year are left on the earth's surface and new plants are planted straight into the undisturbed soil, as opposed to plowing. This method aids in preserving the structure of the soil, decreasing soil erosion, retaining more water, and enhancing soil health. Farmers can benefit from enhanced soil health, decreased soil erosion, higher crop yields, and environmental sustainability by implementing sustainable farming practices. By limiting soil disturbance and shielding soil particles from the elements, this system aids in the reduction of soil erosion. Additionally contributes to improved soil structure, which raises soil fertility, and helps hold onto soil moisture, which lessens the need for irrigation. The amount of tillage and fuel used in zero-tillage systems can be less than in conventional tillage methods. In comparison to traditional tillage methods, systems require less fuel and tillage, which can save farmers money and lessen their carbon footprint. This is true because these systems raise soil organic matter levels, which in turn raise soil nutrient availability and improve soil fertility. Moreover, zero tillage systems can increase water retention in the soil, which can enhances crop growth and yield by improving soil structure and moisture retention, while also reducing weed competition. By reducing soil erosion, conserving soil moisture, and improving soil health, these systems help to promote environmental sustainability. Also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing fuel usage and sequester carbon in the soil through the accumulation of crop residues. Therefore, farmers should adopt zero-tillage systems to enhance their productivity, reduce costs, and promote environmental sustainability.

Towards a true conservation zero tillage system: “A proposed solution based on computer vision to herbicide resistance.”

The Zero Tillage (ZT) or Non-Tillage system constitutes an agricultural production approach designed for improved soil conservation, reduced fossil fuel usage, mitigation of waterway pollution, water and wind erosion, and addressing soil compaction, among other objectives. In this way, ZT promises more sustainable agriculture. However, current ZT production systems depend on herbicide applications for weed control. The use of herbicides with the same modes of action over many years has led to numerous resistant weed species, which end up threatening the success of the herbicide weed control and, consequently, the overall success of the ZT system. Being able to automatically detect and classify weed species directly under the sprayer during the chemical application is an alternative to control populations of weeds since it would allow selecting the herbicide and dose for those particular species. This study, conducted over 15 years in commercial fields utilizing Zero Tillage (ZT) management, examined various ground covers intrinsic to the ZT system originating from previous crops or residues post-harvest. ZT features a broad spectrum of contexts due to the complexity of different ground cover types, which challenge computer vision techniques. The assessment focused on the automatic detection and classification of among the most problematic monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed species in the province of Cordoba in Argentina, with the objective of enabling a more targeted and selective approach to their control. These are Amaranthus palmeri, Echinochloa crus-galli, Eleusine indica, Parietaria debilis and Conyza sumatrensis. Additionally, some species belong to the same botanical families with several morphological resemblances that defy vision algorithms. This work proceeded through a machine learning approach applied to computer vision features such as SIFT (scale-invariant feature transform), K-means (clustering), and Bag of Features over the Support Vector Machine for classification. The results showed an accuracy between 89 % and 98 % over the species, allowing a significant reduction of herbicide while applying the adequate active ingredient. Moreover, virtual binary maps from weed patches are devised to be implemented through ISOBUS protocol. Thus the current research contributes significantly to the issue of controlling populations of weeds in the ZT agriculture system.

Farmer Insights Regarding Zero Tillage Systems Against Weeds in the Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia

A large amount of literature has now proven that Zero Tillage (ZT) as a part of Conservation Agriculture-based Sustainable Intensification (CASI) practices has the potential to help smallholder farmers in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) of South Asia transition to more productive, profitable, and sustainable production systems. Despite this, changes in weed management under ZT are commonly identified as a constraint to wider adoption, based primarily on quantitative investigations. Yet the contribution of this to farmers’ evaluation and adoption behaviour remains underexplored. To address this issue, we explore farmers’ perceptions of CASI-based herbicide weed management systems using semi-structured interviews from six locations across the EGP. This study identifies a divergence in experiences with herbicides, both geographically (with Sunsari and Bihar more negative than other locations) and in terms of user typologies (where users are overwhelmingly positive, and non-users are overwhelmingly negative). This divergence suggests that an information void exists that has the potential to contribute strongly to the negative evaluation of CASI, as well as potentially negative changes in household labour dynamics. To overcome this, promotional efforts should target education and training programs that address how to effectively spray, potentially with increased emphasis on use of weather forecasting. This would ensure equitable outcomes for household members, and increased interest and use of CASI could be promoted. South Asian J. Agric., Vol. 9, No.1&2, 2022-‘23: 52-63

An economic review of conservation tillage practices: select case studies from the eastern Prairies of Canada

This study reviewed the literature on soil conservation practices and analyzed four case studies in different soil zones and diverse cropping systems of Manitoba (MB), western Canada, to show the potential impacts of no-till/reduced tillage practices on field crop economic performance. Primary and secondary data, such as tillage type, input cost, crop price, crop yield, and net revenue (NR), were used to assess the tillage practices in each of the case studies. Based on crop economic analysis, over 9 years (1998–2006) in southern Manitoba, cereal-based (spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare L .)) cropping systems were more profitable under conservation tillage than conventional tillage practices, whereas the opposite was true for oilseed crops (e.g., canola, Brassica napus L.). In plot-scale studies at Portage, MB, low intensity tillage increased NR for soybean ( Glycine max L.) in 1 of 3 years when compared to high intensity tillage, and there appeared to be lower NRs for canola as tillage intensity increased. However, in studies near Brandon, MB, NRs for a 4-year wheat-pea ( Pisum sativum L .) rotation were lower in low disturbance seeding than high disturbance seeding systems for a clay loam soil but similar for a loam soil. While no single tillage system was found to consistently provide the highest NR based on these case studies, these findings provide insights into some of the factors behind decisions surrounding tillage management and the rationale for the continued use of a combination of conventional, reduced, and zero-till systems in the eastern Prairies of Canada.

Long-term Impact of Zero Tillage and Residue Retention on Soil Nutrients and Microbial Biomass in a Maize-Mustard Cropping System

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare different cropping systems and tillage practices, specifically focusing on the maize (Zea mays L.)-mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cropping system. The field experiment on maize (Zea mays L.)-mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cropping system commenced in monsoon 2010 at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi. Eight treatments were evaluated in a randomized block design, comprising four double cropping ZT (zero till) and two triple cropping ZT systems with or without crops residue retention along with two conventional till systems (control) [T1: ZTMZ-ZTM; T2: ZTMZ+BM-ZTM; T3: ZTMZ(+R)-ZTM(+R); T4: ZTMZ(+R)+BM-ZTM(+R); T5: ZTMZ-ZTM-ZTSMB; T6: ZTMZ(+R)-ZTM(+R)-ZTSMB(+R); T7: CTMZ-ZTM; T8: CTMZ-CTM] with three replications. Result showed that highest mineralizable nitrogen (388 kg ha-1) was found in T6 treatment (in 0-5 cm soil layer) whereas T8 treatment recorded the lowest mineralisable N (297 kg ha-1). ZTMZ(+R)-ZTM(+R)-ZTSMB(+R) treatment obtained a significant increase (81.3%) in Olsen extractable P over CTMZ-CTM treatment. MBP was observed to be maximum in T6 treatment (10.1 mg kg-1) whereas lowest values were recorded in T8 treatment (2.67 mg kg-1) in the upper layer. Therefore, under CA, utilization of microorganisms to increase the availability of P in soil is an attractive proposition for developing a more sustainable agriculture. This is relevant to the high-input production systems of the developed world, and also to developing countries where access to mineral fertilizers is restricted, which will give better results and outputs in future by giving easily available inputs without harming the environment and conserving soil fertility for future generations.

Optimization of goat manure against use of N-Minjingu Nafaka Plus fertilizer for improved lablab growth and yield in semi - arid areas of Northern Tanzania

The study was conducted in Northern Tanzania from the 2022–2023 cropping seasons to develop a cropping model that farmers can use to improve their lablab production. The field experiments were conducted at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, Selian station and was laid down in a Split Plot Designs with main factor being tillage system and sub-factor being fertilizer type (Goat manure and Minjingu Nafaka Plus). The trials consisted of three treatments (goat manure, Minjingu Nafaka Plus and the control-no fertilizer) replicated thrice. There were significant differences (p=<0.001) among the number of pods per plant, plant height and lablab grain yield. The highest grain yield (3952 g and 3933 g) with net benefit of (1,290,210Tshs and 1,249,175Tshs) was recorded in a plot treated with (Minjingu Nafaka Plus) fertilizer in Conventional and Zero tillage system compared with (Goat manure) which had (3944 g and 3928 g) with net benefit of (1,306,710Tshs and 1,292,675Tshs) in Conventional and Zero tillage practices. Conclusively, the study revealed that there were high net benefits under zero tillage compared to conventional tillage based on input-output costs analysis at both TARI - Selian and Saweni sites. Zero tillage was more economically viable than conventional tillage practices as becomes more friendly for the resource-constrained farmers in increasing their potential yield.

Evaluation of Growth and Yield Parameters of Six Different Rice Fallow Crops under Zero-Till System with Limited Irrigation

A field experiment was conducted in sandy loam soils to study the Growth and Yield parameters of six different crops with limited number of irrigations under a zero-till system in rice fallows during rabi, 2021-22 at Agricultural College Farm, Naira. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design, replicated thrice with three irrigation levels viz., two irrigations (I1), three irrigations (I2) and four irrigations (I3) assigned to main plots and six fallow crops viz., Maize (C1), Sorghum (C2), Finger millet (C3), Mustard (C4), Sunhemp (C5) and Blackgram (C6) assigned to sub plots. With regard to number of irrigations, dry matter production at harvest, seed yield, Blackgram equivalent yield, stover yield, were recorded progressively higher with four irrigations (I3) and were decreased gradually and significantly with a reduction in number of irrigations to two (I1). Pertaining to six fallow crops, the dry matter production, seed yield, and stover yield recorded, was significantly superior and highest in Maize (C1) while recorded lowest in Mustard (C4). With regard to the interaction effect with number of irrigations and six fallow crops was significant and statistically measurable. The highest dry matter production, seed yield, and stover/haulm yield was recorded in Maize (C1) with four irrigations (I3) and these parameters were found to be lowest in Mustard (C4) with two irrigations (I1).

Weediness of soybean (Glycine max) crops under different systems of main tillage and green manuring

Study of the impact of traditional and zero-tillage systems and organo-mineral fertilization systems with the use of green manure crops in intermediate post-harvest sowings on crop weediness and soybean yield when growing it in an irrigated short-rotation crop rotation of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine. The research was carried out on the basis of a stationary experiment laid out in the fields of the Askanian State Agricultural Research Station Institute of Irrigated Agriculture of NAAS in the area of operation of the Kakhovka irrigation system. The scheme of the experiment included three variants of the main tillage and four variants of fertilization with post-harvest sowings of green manure of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.), phacelia (Pracelia tanacetifolia Benth.) and white one-year-old sweet clover (Melilotus albus). Field, quantitative-weight, calculation-comparative, and mathematical-statistical methods were used. The average number of weeds in soybean crops when plowing was the lowest and was 28.5 pcs/m2. With zero tillage, both in the second year and longterm use, an increase in the weediness of crops was observed by 16 and 8.5 pcs/m2 , respectively. When sowing soybeans according to zero technology, weediness was lower in the options with post-harvest sideral sowing of phacelia and buckwheat, where the number of weeds, compared to the control, was 10 and 16 pcs/m2 fewer. For all methods of the main tillage, an increase in soybean yield was recorded when using post-harvest green manures, which was 0.22–0.57 t/ha when sowing buckwheat on green manure, 0.06–0.23 t/ha when using white one-year-old sweet clover, and 0.29–0.67 t/ha when using phacelia. It was established that when growing soybeans in an irrigated short-rotation crop rotation in the Southern Steppe zone of Ukraine, the least weediness of crops and the highest crop yield at the level of 3.77 t/ha was provided by plowing to a depth of 28–30 cm. Sowing of post-harvest green manures contributed to an increase in soybean productivity from 0.06 to 0.67 t/ha. When growing soybeans according to zero technology, using buckwheat in the intermediate post-harvest sowings and phacelia for green manure can reduce weediness of the main crop by 24 and 39%, respectively, and increase productivity by 0.22 and 0.29 t/ha.

Soil organic carbon sequestration and modeling under conservation tillage and cropping systems in a rainfed agriculture

Conservation agriculture is a well-established method for promoting carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but little is known about how it affects subtropical dryland farming systems. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential of conservation agriculture in Pakistan's subtropical dryland to reduce atmospheric CO2 enrichment and alter soil organic carbon fractions. In a field experiment, fallow-wheat (farmers' practice) and the conservation tillage methods minimum tillage (MT), reduced tillage (RT), and zero tillage (ZT) were compared to conventional tillage (CT) in the main plots and the cropping systems sorghum-wheat (S-W) and mungbean-wheat (M-W) to fallow-wheat (F-W) in the sub-plots. Multiple assessments taken over a two-year period revealed that CT plots lacked greater soil organic carbon and its fractions than ZT and RT plots. In comparison to CT, ZT, and RT exhibited higher average total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC) concentrations, respectively, of 1.43% and 1.31%, 4.61% and 2.83%, 2.42% and 1.97%, and 1.66% and 1.76%. In comparison to the S-W cropping system, the F-W and M-W cropping systems showed increased MBC and MOC, but POC and TOC were little impacted. The maximum TOC (0.589% and 0.589%), MBC (0.021% and 0.021%), POC (0.195% and 0.192%), and MOC (0.489% and 0.485%) were found in the combinations of ZT with F-W and M-W. Regardless of the cropping systems, cumulative CO2 flow was lowest in ZT plots compared to the other tillage techniques. The CENTURY model confirmed that the use of continuous tillage is a major threat to both soil fertility and production. The study, therefore, concludes that ZT and RT systems in particular are potential possibilities for carbon sequestration in subtropical dryland soils for CO2 reduction.

Growth, nodulation, yield, nitrogen uptake, and economics of lentil as influenced by sowing time, tillage, and management practices

Crop management practices and variety are two very important parameters that decides the crop performance. A field experiment was carried out during the two consecutive rabi seasons of 2018–19 and 2019–20 to determine the impact of sowing timing, tillage operation, and variety on the growth, development, yield characteristics, and nitrogen uptake in lentil crops. The experiment was conducted in a split-split plot design with 3 replications comprising two different sowing conditions (S1: early sowing after harvesting of short duration kharif rice, S2: delayed sowing after harvesting of long duration kharif rice) in main plots, three different tillage operations (T1: Relay cropping, T2: Zero tillage, T3: Conventional tillage) in subplots and two different varieties (V1: short duration: L4717, V2: long period: Moitri) in subplots. The findings demonstrated a substantial interaction between sowing time, tillage, and variety on various growth and yield parameters of lentil crops. The early sowing of lentil crops (early November) yielded 4.8% more (1,105 kg ha−1) than late November sowing and adapting to the short-duration variety L4717 over the long-duration cultivar Moitri resulted in a yield increase of 5.9% (1,086 kg ha−1). Apart from providing a higher yield, it also provided an opportunity to take another crop like leafy vegetables. Among the three tillage practices adopted, conventional tillage produced the lowest yield (1,017 kg ha−1) in both experimental years. In contrast, a yield increase of 6.9% and 26.9% in relay cropping and zero tillage systems was observed, respectively. Early-sown lentils with no-tillage and a short-duration variety reached a certain phenophase faster than other combinations (life cycle: 96.2 and 98.7 days for lentils in both years). For both the sowing times, the growth parameters and the number of nodules plant−1 were highly correlated with nitrogen uptake at different stages of the life cycle. High net returns (Rs. 51,220 and 59,257) leading to higher benefit-cost ratios were observed under the treatment combination of early sowing + zero tillage + short duration variety. Therefore, the study found that short-duration lentil cultivars in combination with early sowing in the zero-tillage system are the best agronomic approach for the sustainability of lentil production after the monsoon rice harvest.

Conservation tillage and diversified cropping enhance system productivity and eco-efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas intensity in organic farming

Environmental pollution, resource dwindling, and soil degradation questioned the sustainability of contemporary agricultural production systems. Organic farming is advocated as a sustainable solution for ensuring food security without compromising environmental sustainability. However, poor farm productivity quizzed the sustainability of organic production systems. Hence, a field study was carried out in the Sikkim region of the Indian Himalayas to assess the efficacy of conservation-effective tilling and diversified cropping on system productivity, profitability, environmental quality, and soil nutrient balance in organic farming. Three tillage systems, namely, (i) conventional tillage (CT), (ii) reduced tillage (RT), and (iii) zero tillage (ZT), and four maize based diversified cropping systems (maize–black gram–toria, maize–black gram–buckwheat, maize–rajmash–toria, and maize–rajmash–buckwheat) were tested using a three times replicated split-plot design. The ZT system recorded 13.5 and 3.5% higher system productivity over CT and RT, respectively. Of the four diversified cropping systems, the maize–rajmash–buckwheat system recorded the maximum system productivity (13.99 Mg ha−1) and net returns (3,141 US$ ha−1) followed by the maize–black gram–buckwheat system. Among the tillage practices, ZT recorded the significantly high eco-efficiency index (EEI; 1.55 US$ per kg CO2-eq emission) and the lowest greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI; 0.15 kg CO2-eq per kg production). Of the diversified cropping systems, the maize-rajmash-buckwheat registered the lowest GHGI (0.14 CO2-eq per kg production) and the highest EEI (1.47 US$ per kg CO2-eq emission). Concerning soil nutrient balance, after three cropping cycles, the soil under ZT recorded significantly higher available N (340.0 kg ha−1), P (16.6 kg ha−1), and K (337.3 kg ha−1) over the CT system at 0–10 cm soil depth. Similarly, the soil under the maize–black gram–buckwheat system had the maximum bio-available NPK. Thus, the study suggests that the cultivation of the maize–black gram/rajmash–buckwheat systems under ZT and/or RT would increase farm productivity, profitability, and soil fertility with minimum GHGI in organic farming under the Eastern Himalayan region of India.

Conventional and Zero Tillage with Residue Management in Rice–Wheat System in the Indo-Gangetic Plains: Impact on Thermal Sensitivity of Soil Organic Carbon Respiration and Enzyme Activity

The impact of global warming on soil carbon (C) mineralization from bulk and aggregated soil in conservation agriculture (CA) is noteworthy to predict the future of C cycle. Therefore, sensitivity of soil C mineralization to temperature was studied from 18 years of a CA experiment under rice-wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). The experiment comprised of three tillage systems: zero tillage (ZT), conventional tillage (CT), and strip tillage (ST), each with three levels of residue management: residue removal (NR), residue burning (RB), and residue retention (R). Cumulative carbon mineralization (Ct) in the 0-5 cm soil depth was significantly higher in CT with added residues (CT-R) and ZT with added residues (ZT-R) compared with the CT without residues (CT-NR). It resulted in higher CO2 evolution in CT-R and ZT-R. The plots, having crop residue in both CT and ZT system, had higher (p < 0.05) Van't-Hoff factor (Q10) and activation energy (Ea) than the residue burning. Notably, micro-aggregates had significantly higher Ea than bulk soil (~14%) and macro-aggregates (~40%). Aggregate-associated C content was higher in ZT compared with CT (p < 0.05). Conventional tillage with residue burning had a reduced glomalin content and β-D-glucosidase activity than that of ZT-R. The ZT-R improved the aggregate-associated C that could sustain the soil biological diversity in the long-run possibly due to higher physical, chemical, and matrix-mediated protection of SOC. Thus, it is advisable to maintain the crop residues on the soil surface in ZT condition (~CA) to cut back on valuable C from soils under IGP and similar agro-ecologies.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Zero Tillage and Legume-based Cropping Systems for Enhancing Soil Nitrogen Concentrations and Stocks under Rainfed Pearl Millet Production Systems

Assessing the Effectiveness of Zero Tillage and Legume-based Cropping Systems for Enhancing Soil Nitrogen Concentrations and Stocks under Rainfed Pearl Millet Production Systems

Assessment of Carbon Pools and Stability of Soil Aggregates in Inceptisols of Indo-Gangetic Plains as Influenced by Seven-Year Continuous Tillage Practices Under Maize-Based Cropping System

ABSTRACT Intensive tillage practices have degraded soil physical quality and reduced soil organic carbon (SOC) content. As a result, crop productivity has decreased over time, highlighting the need for conservation practices. For this, a long-term field experiment at Research Farm, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour dominated by Inceptisols in Indo-Gangetic plains of Bihar was conducted to study the effect of three tillage practices, that is, zero tillage (ZT), permanent raised bed (PB) and conventional tillage (CT) and three cropping system namely maize-maize, maize-wheat and maize-chickpea on different pools of carbon and soil aggregation. After 7 years, it was observed that conservation tillage practices (ZT and PB) had significant positive effect on total soil organic carbon, active pools of carbon and percentage distribution of aggregates. The total organic carbon (TOC) and mean weight diameter (MWD) was found highest under PB (8.62 g kg−1 and 1.70 mm, respectively) which was at par with ZT (8.50 g kg−1 and 1.68 mm, respectively) and the lowest in CT (7.89 g kg−1 and 1.37 mm, respectively) while, among cropping systems, maize-chickpea system recorded significantly higher TOC and MWD (8.48 g kg−1 and 1.67 mm, respectively). Carbon Management Index (CMI) was also found higher under ZT (152) and maize-chickpea system (149). As a result of our study, it was observed that combining conservation practices (PB and ZT) with appropriate crop rotation (maize-chickpea) appears to be the best option for restoring and improving the health of light-textured Inceptisols by increasing soil organic matter (SOM) and improving soil physical properties.

Earthworm Abundance Increased by Mob-Grazing Zero-Tilled Arable Land in South-East England

Regenerative agriculture is a potential alternative to conventional agricultural systems. It integrates the components of zero-tillage, permanent soil cover, diverse crop rotations and rotational or mob-grazing by ruminant livestock. Earthworms are beneficial soil macrofauna and function as indicators of soil health. A need exists to identify how earthworm populations are affected when all four regenerative agriculture components are implemented simultaneously. This study investigates earthworm abundance in three split-plot treatments located on adjacent land within the same farm: (1) ungrazed permanent grassland, (2) a three-year grass-clover ley within an arable zero tillage system without grazing and (3) identical to treatment 2 but with mob-grazing. Earthworms were sampled using soil pits and classified into four functional groups: epigeic (surface dwellers), endogeic (sub-surface), anecic (deep soil) and juveniles. The total earthworm count, epigeic and juvenile functional groups were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in treatment (3), the arable zero tillage system with mob-grazing. Mob-grazing increases the diversity of carbon sources available to earthworms and has a positive impact on earthworm abundance and functional group diversity within the arable rotation under evaluation.

Tillage and crop establishment effects on weeds and productivity of a rice-wheat-mungbean rotation

Weeds are one of the key threats in sustaining the productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The development of sound integrated weed management technologies requires knowledge of mechanisms that influence weed flora composition and weed seedbank dynamics. A long-term study was initiated in 2015 at Patna, Bihar, India to evaluate the effect of seven tillage and crop establishment methods on weed density, weed seedbank composition, and crop productivity in rice-wheat-mungbean rotation. All the treatments included zero-till mungbean after wheat. Tillage and crop establishment methods had differential effects on weed and weed seedbank composition. In rice, zero-till direct-seeded rice recorded 62% lower emergence of Cyperus iria, 82–90% of Echinochloa colona, and 81–83% of total weeds compared to tilled systems, but the system of rice and wheat intensification favoured E. colona. In wheat, the system of wheat intensification favoured the Phalaris minor and Solanum nigrum. Zero-till rice and wheat reduced the seedbank of Trianthema portulacastrum by 95%, and total weed seedbank by 62% compared to the system of rice and wheat intensification. Nearly, 72% of C. iria seeds, 62% of grasses, and 64% of broad-leaved weeds were in 0–15 cm soil layer. Zero-till direct-seeded rice produced a 13% lower rice grain yield than conventional puddled transplanted rice. Compared to the system of wheat intensification, zero-till wheat under triple zero-till systems produced an 11.5% higher grain yield. Managing weed seedbank is a long-term endeavour. The present study revealed that tillage and crop establishment methods influence weed density and diversity. Under zero-till rice-wheat system, rice yield decreases marginally, but the system productivity maintains due to improvement in succeeding wheat yield. This system is also helpful in reducing the weed flora density and soil weed seedbank. Regular monitoring and management of emerging pests such as armyworm (Mythimna separata) are, however, required. The study suggests that the adoption of triple zero-tillage can be a viable option for reducing the weed density and weed seedbank concurrently increasing the system productivity of the rice-wheat-mungbean cropping system in eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains.

Effects of Various Fertilizer Doses on Mustard Crops under Zero Tillage System

A field experiment was conducted at the BINA substation farm, Ishurdi, Pabna during 2018-2019, 2019-2020 to see the effects of various fertilizer doses on mustard plant under zero tillage system after harvest of T.aman rice. Nine treatments combination were used in the experiment. The treatments were T1: Native soil fertility only (no fertilizer), T2: 50% recommended N, T3: 100% recommended N, T4: 100% recommended NPKS, T5:125% recommended N, T6:125% recommended NPKS, T7: 50% recommended NPKS, T8: 50% recommended PKS+100%N, T9: 50% recommended PKS+125%N. Yield and yield contributing characters were recorded. Yields and yields contributing characters of mustard were significantly influenced with the different treatments. The treatment T4 (100% recommended NPKS) gave the highest seed yield followed by the treatment T5 (125 % recommended NPKS) in zero tillage condition. The results indicated that 100% NPKS (T4) or 125% NPKS (T6) enhanced more crop growth which influenced on greater seed yield of mustard. Partial cost-benefit analysis indicated that the treatments T8 and T9 was greater profitable than the treatments T4 and T6. However, considering at maximum yields and highest net return, the treatments T4 or T6 could be recommended for more production of mustard in zero tillage system. Therefore, fertilizer doses of the treatment T4 (N, P, K and S @ 90, 27, 32 and 15 kg ha-1) or the treatment T6 (N, P, K and S @ 113, 34, 40 and 19 kgha-1 ) could be adopted in the cultivation of mustard for getting maximum yields under zero tillage system in late sowing condition.

Weed management in direct-seeded rice under a long-term conservation agriculture-based rice rice (Oriza sativa)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) system

Weeds that occur in repeated flushes pose major challenges to direct-seeded rice (DSR). Zero till (ZT) DSRwith crop residue influences weed interference considerably and can be substitutive to resource-intensive puddledtransplanted rice (PTR). Field experiments were conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute during2018–19 involving conservation agriculture (CA)-based DSRs and weed control/herbicides treatments to appraiseweed interference and productivity under an eight-year old CA-based rice-wheat system (RWS). All DSRs encountered more weeds than PTR. A double ZT system without residue [~ZTDSR-ZT wheat (ZTW); C1] had highest density and dry weight of grassy weeds, but a triple ZT system without residue [~ZTDSR-ZTW-ZT mungbean (ZTMB);C4] had highest density and dry weight of broad-leaved and sedge weeds. However, a triple ZT system with threecrops residue [~ZTDSR + mungbean residue-ZTW + rice residue-ZTMB + wheat residue; C5)] could reduce weedinterference significantly and led to 9.3% and 21.8% higher rice yield than C1 and C4, respectively. The applicationof pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 0.025 kg/ha pre-emergence followed by (fb) cyhalofop-butyl 0.100 kg/ha at 20 days aftersowing (DAS), fb bispyribac-Na 0.025 kg/ha at 25 DAS (W4) led to significant reduction in grassy, broad-leaved andsedge weeds densities by 92.5, 96.6 and 67.7%, respectively. The triple ZT system with rice, wheat and mungbeanresidues (C5) combined with application of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl fb cyhalofop-butyl fb bispyribac-Na (W4) gavealmost similar rice yield with PTR (C6). This may be recommended for adoption in Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) ofIndia and in similar agro-ecologies of the tropics/sub-tropics.

The effect of tillage depth and traffic management on soil properties and root development during two growth stages of winter wheat (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Triticum aestivum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; L.)

Abstract. The management of agricultural soils during crop establishment can affect root development due to changes in the soil structure. This paper assesses the influence of tillage depth (250 mm, 100 mm, and zero tillage) and traffic management (conventional tyre pressure, low tyre pressure, and no traffic) on wheat root system architecture during winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) tillering and flowering growth stages (GS) at a long-term tillage trial site. The study revealed that zero-tillage systems increased crop yield through significantly greater root biomass (P&lt;0.001), root length density, and deeper seminal rooting analysed using X-ray computed tomography (CT) (P&lt;0.001) compared with trafficked treatments. In general, conventional-pressure traffic had a significant negative influence on the crop yield (P&lt;0.01), root development (0.001), bulk density (P&lt;0.05), and total soil porosity (P&lt;0.05) of deep- and shallow-tillage conventional-pressure systems compared with no-traffic zero- and deep-tillage systems. Visual improvements in soil structure under zero-tillage conditions may have improved crop rooting in zero-tillage treatments through vertical pore fissures (biopores), enhancing water uptake during the crop flowering period. This study highlights the increasing implications of soil structural damage on root system architecture created by machinery traffic in crop production. Although the tillage method was less important, the constricted root systems were more pronounced in conventional-pressure shallow-tillage and deep-tillage systems, emphasizing the importance of using controlled-traffic farming methods to improve soil management and reduce the trafficked areas of agricultural fields.