1Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan
2Principal Scientist, Directorate of Maize Research, New Delhi
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan-313 001
Based on a part of Ph.D. Thesis of the first author submitted to Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan during 2011 (unpublished)
A field experiment was conducted during 2009–10 and 2010–11 at Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, to study effect of 5 tillage systems and 3 weed-control practices on weed dynamics, productivity, and to workout most viable tillage practices in wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) Emend. Fiori & Paol.]–maize (Zea may L.) cropping sequence. Weed density, grain yield of wheat, maize and wheat-equivalent yield were found statistically equal in continuous conventional tillage and adoption of rotated zero tillage in wheat and conventional tillage in maize under wheat–maize cropping sequence. Adoption of zero tillage in wheat and conventional tillage in maize also proved economically beneficial with the highest net returns ( 73,868/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.11) compared to net returns ( 72,476/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1: 94) recorded under continuous conventional tillage in both crops. Amongst the weed-control practices, use of isoproturon (0.75 kg/ha) in wheat and atrazine (0.5 kg/ha) followed by 1 hoeing in maize significantly reduced weed density, dry matter and recorded significantly higher wheat–maize and wheat-equivalent grain and straw yields than 2 hand weedings and weedy check. Application of isoproturon (0.75 kg/ha) in wheat and atrazine (0.5 kg/ha) in maize resulted in the highest net returns of 82,749/ha and benefit: cost ratio 2.41 and proved significantly higher over 2 hand-weedings by 5,876/ha and benefit: cost ratio 0.43. At the end of 2 cycles adopting zero tillage in wheat and conventional tillage in maize significantly enhanced organic carbon content by 4.0% over continuous conventional tillage; however, did not influence status of available nitrogen and phosphorus significantly in soil. The weed-control practices did not influence available nitrogen status of soil; however, organic carbon and available phosphorus status of weedy check plots increased significantly over rest of the weed-control treatments.
Soil health, Tillage, Wheat–maize sequence, Weed control, Yields
