Impact of Resource Conservation Technologies and Fertilizer Doses on Rice Under Mollisols of Uttarakhand

Present investigation was carried out during Kharif 2010 at N. E Borlaug Crop Research Centre of G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) to evaluate the effect of resource conservation technologies and fertilizer doses on rice. The experiment was laid in split plot design with two tillage treatments for rice viz. T₁ (Reduced tillage) and T₂ (Conventional tillage) and two treatments regarding mulch viz. M₀ (No mulch) and M₁ (Surface mulch) both serving as main plots along with two treatments of fertilizer rates viz. F₁ (recommended dose of fertilizer) and F₂ (25 per cent higher recommended dose of fertilizer) serving as subplots. The results indicated significant and optimistic changes in bulk density and fertility of soil. 15% and 20% higher amount of soil organic carbon was recordedin T₁ and M₁ than T₂ and M₀. M₁ and F₂ showed 17.27% and 4% higher levels of available nitrogen than M₀ and F₁. Incorporation of straw mulch raised the potassium level by 16.88% in comparison to M₀. Non-significant but slightly higher amount of phosphorus was also observed in T₁, and F₂ as ^M1, compared to T₂, M₀ and F₁ respectively. Economical and biological yield showed insignificant changes. Since cost of cultivation decreased due to reduced machine and labour charges therefore higher B: C ratio and net return in rupees per rupee invested was recorded to be higher in conservation practices. It can be concluded that along with providing equivalent yield the resource conservation technologies are influential and practical in improving the soil health in conjunction with reducing the cost of cultivation in rice and consequently increasing the benefit cost ratio and net return in rupees per rupee invested.