DefinePK

Abstract

In rice-wheat cropping system, use of zero tillage alongwith mulch may play a crucial role for soil moisture conservation and agricultural sustainability. A field experiment was conducted at Agronomic Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan during the year 2010-11 to investigate the effect of different tillage systems and mulch practices on water conservation in wheat under rice-wheat cropping system. Split plot design was used with four tillage methods (happy seeder, zone disc tiller, conventional tillage and deep tillage) in main plots and four mulch practices (no mulch, wheat straw @ 4 t/ha, rice straw @ 4 t/ha and plastic sheet) in subplots. Wheat yield parameters such as number of fertile tillers (351/m2 ), number of grains per spike (57.5), biological yield (15.0 Mg/ha) and grain yield (5.4 Mg/ha) were significantly higher in deep tillage as compared with other tillage treatments while water use efficiency (0.026 kg/kg) was higher and same in deep tillage and zone disc tiller. Plant height and 1000-grain weight remained non-significant under different tillage systems. 1000-grain weight (44.1 g) was higher in no mulch while number of fertile tillers, plant height, number of grains per spike, biological yield, grain yield and water use efficiency remained non-significant under other mulch treatments. Deep tillage alongwith rice mulch produced maximum net return (Rs. 63193/ha) and BCR (1.51) than all other tillage and mulch treatments. Maximum BCR (1.51) was also noted in deep tillage with no mulch.