(Icon-Farm, February 12-16, 2008, p. 77)
On farm experiments-cum-demonstrations were laid out on cultivators field during two consecutive years at Banahil distributry of Hasdeo-bango command in Janjgeer district under AICRP on water management centre, Bilaspur.
During Kharif, different methods of rice establishment viz., Direct seeding (Lehi), Broadcasting (Biasi) and transplanting alongwith two fertilizer management practices i.e. farmers practice and recommended dose of fertilizers were imposed on farmers field. The medium duration scented rice cultivar variety Indira Sugandhit dhan-1 was evaluated as per treatments. During Rabi, the treatments comprised of two methods of tillage, i.e., zero tillage and cultivator 3 pass + planking twice and two irrigation methods viz: flood and Border strips taking wheat at test crop. A uniform dose of N:P:K was applied @80 kg N, 50 kg P-2P5 and 30 kg K2O/ha, respectively. The nutrient consumption in farmers field under rice was recorded less as compared to recommended doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash by 275% N, 48% P2P5 and 63% K2O. Among different methods of planting, direct seeding (Lehi), Broadcasting and transplanting methods increased the rice yield by 17.1, 17.4 and 31.1% over traditional method of planting, respectively. The water expense was observed lower with transplanting method followed by direct seeding (Lehi) and broadcasting.
During Rabi, the conservation tillage, zero till seed drill implement showed overage response and in average yield of wheat was recorded 12.00/ha with water expense of 21.00 cm. The yields with conservation tillage were recorded lower as compared with good tilth fields, however, one irrigation (7.00 cm) may be saved utilizing residual moisture through zero tillage method. Among methods of irrigation, Sujata and Amar varieties of wheat showed increase in grain yield by 11.2 and 15.60 per cent under border strip method of irrigation as compared to flooding method with a saving of 4–6 cm irrigation water.
