COMBINED EFFECT OF TILLAGE AND SOWING METHODS ON RICE-WHEAT PRODUCTIVITY

Crop establishment methods and tillage practices significantly influence crop productivity by altering soil physical environment, root distribution and plant growth. The present study includes a combination of tillage practices for both rice and wheat i.e. deep tillage before rice (DTR) as well as wheat (DTW) along with conventional tillage before rice and wheat (CTRW) in main plots. The crop establishment methods i.e. no-tillage with residue (NTR) in wheat and direct seeded rice (DSR) were practiced in sub plots. These treatments were compared with traditional practices i.e. conventional tillage in wheat (CTW) and puddled transplanting in rice (PTR). It was reported that DTR and DTW results in 8% and 12% higher grain yields of rice and wheat, respectively over CTRW. Irrespective of crop establishment methods followed in rice, the NTR in wheat results in 7% higher wheat grain yield than CTW. The reduced soil mechanical resistance under deep tillage resulted in 18% and 22% more root length densities of rice and wheat than CT. Thus, among tillage practices, DTR and DTW and among crop establishment methods PTR and NTR are appropriate practices for sustaining crop productivity of rice-wheat systems in northwest India.