Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, 500030
*Corresponding author: (E-mail: murthypeddinti@rediffmail.com)
1Present address: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College, Naira, Srikakulam (Dist.), Andhra Pradesh
Studies on the interaction effects of tillage practices and irrigation regimes on water use, seed yield and water use efficiency of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in sandy clay loam Alfisol under rice fallows revealed that water retention and availability in soil improved up to 30 cm depth in tractor-drawn disc plough or MB plough tillage (deep tillage) treatments while it was restricted to 15 cm in bullock-drawn desi plough tillage (shallow tillage). Tillage with tractor-drawn disc plough + rotavator (Deep-fine tillage) gave significantly higher seed yield (1311 kg ha−1) over tractor drawn MB plough + tractor drawn cultivator - deep tillage (1172 kg ha−1), bullock-drawn desi plough + power tiller-operated rotavator - shallow fine tillage (1054 kg ha−1), bullock-drawn desi plough + bullock-drawn cultivator - shallow tillage (931 kg ha−1). Irrigation regime at IW/CPE = 1.2 recorded higher seed yield than IW/CPE = 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0. Water use (ETa) by sunflower increased with increase in intensity of tillage and irrigation. The WUE was higher in deep tillage practices and in irrigation regime of IW/CPE = 0.8. Deep tillage, besides saving 18% irrigation water, resulted in about 24% higher sunflower seed yield compared with shallow tillage.
Tillage, irrigation regime, water use, water use efficiency, sunflower
