1ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Reserach Centre, Koraput-763 002, Odisha
2ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012
3ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi-284003, Uttar Pradesh
4Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Semiliguda, Koraput-763 002, Odisha
*E-mail: icarpraveen@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 12 January, 2018.
A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi during kharif and rabi seasons of 2014–15 and 2015–16 with the objective to study the effect of different moisture enhancing practices and conservation tillage on performance of maize-mustard cropping system and soil properties. The main plot treatments consisted of four moisture conservation practices in kharif season maize viz., ridges and furrows (RF), RF + crop residue (CR) 4 t ha−1, RF + CR 2 t ha−1 + VAM and flat sowing (FS). Five zero tillage (ZT) management techniques in rabi season mustard viz., ZT, ZT + seed priming, ZT + CR 4 t ha−1, ZT + CR 2 t ha−1 + Hydrogel and conventional tillage (CT) were executed in sub plots under cropping system mode. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Maize kernel yield in RF + CR 4 t ha−1 treatment was 10.6, 29.4 and 46.5% higher than RF + CR 2 t ha−1 + VAM, RF and FS (control) treatments, respectively. Whereas, in sub-plots (residual effects), ZT + CR 4 t ha−1 recorded maximum kernel yield (3.05 t ha−1) followed by ZT + CR 2 t ha−1 + Hydrogel (2.99 t ha−1) treatment. Significantly higher mustard yield of 11.5, 23.1 and 35.8% was obtained in RF + CR 4 t ha−1 treatment over RF + CR 2 t ha−1 + VAM, RF and FS, respectively because of the residual effects of treatments. Whereas, for mustard, direct effects of different planting methods in sub-plots gave maximum yield (2.05 t ha−1) in ZT + CR 4 t ha−1 which was closely followed by ZT + CR 2 t ha−1 + Hydrogel (1.95 t ha−1). Cumulative effects (direct and residual) showed that bulk density (BD), saturated hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate and penetration resistance remained unaffected with treatments Significantly higher availability of nitrogen (149 and 150 kg ha−1), phosphorus (14.5 and 15.6 kg ha−1) and potassium (193 and 192 kg ha−1) in soil was registered under the best yielding treatments i.e. RF + CR 4 t ha−1 and ZT + CR 4 t ha−1 in maize and mustard crops, respectively. Therefore, the adoption best treatment will give sustainable yield of maize and mustard besides maintaining soil health under rainfed conditions
Hydrogel, Maize, Mustard, Residue, Ridge and furrow, Zero tillage
