Available soil moisture and yield of rainfed hybrid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) as influenced by rainwater conservation practices

To assess the effect of moisture conservation techniques for enhancement of soil moisture and yield of hybrid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under rainfed conditions, a field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) seasons of three consecutive years 2004, 2005 and 2006 on vertisols, at Nagpur. The treatments comprised of six soil moisture conservation practices viz., opening of furrows in each row, in alternate row, tied hoeing, three intercrops with cotton viz. soybean (Glycine max L.), blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.) and greengram (Phaseolus radiatus L.) with one flat bed system (no moisture conservation). Three years study revealed that highest seed cotton yield (1.43 tonne/ha) and cotton equivalent yield (1.95 tonne/ha) with higher net returns of 26,491/ha and B:C ratio value of 2.92 was obtained with intercropping system of cotton + green gram compared to sole cotton on flat bed system with 1.20 tonne/ha seed cotton yield and net returns of 11550/ha). During the period of sowing to flowering stage of cotton, the available soil moisture were found higher at surface soil by 9% due to intercropping system as compared to flat bed system and declined to the increasing depth of soil.