Soil properties and productivity of rainfed finger millet under conservation tillage and nutrient management in Eastern dry zone of Karnataka

Aim: Conservation agriculture practices serve as an alternative strategy to sustain agricultural production due to the growing water and nutrient deficiencies, particularly under rainfed conditions. The objective of this study was to find the effect of conservation tillage and nutrient management practices on soil health and productivity of finger millet. Methodology: Three main plots viz., conventional tillage (2 ploughings + 1 harrowing + 2 intercultivations) - drill sowing, minimum tillage (1 ploughing + 1 harrowing + application of isoproturon at 565 g a.i. ha(-1)) - drill sowing and zero tillage (glyphosate 41 SL at 10 ml l(-1)) transplanting and five sub plots viz.. 100% recommended NPK (50:40:25 kg NPK ha(-1), 100% recommended NPK + 7.5 t FYM ha(-1), horsegram residue mulch with 100% recommended NPK, 50% recommended NPK + 25% N through FYM + Azotobacterseed treatment and fertilizers based on soil test results and were replicated thrice in split plot design. The soil physical, chemical and biological properties and yields were analyzed using standard procedures. Results: Conventional tillage produced significantly higher grain and straw yield of finger millet (3.04 and 4.69 t ha(-1), respectively) with significantly higher soil infiltration rate, cumulative infiltration, lower soil penetration resistance and bulk density as compared to minimum (2.61 and 4.03 t ha(-1) and zero tillage (2.09 and 3.24 t ha(-1)). Zero tillage recorded significantly higher soil moisture content under dry spells, maximum water holding capacity, soil organic carbon, soil microbial population, microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, urease, dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activity as compared to minimum and conventional tillage. Application of 1 0 0% recommended NPK + 7.5 t FYM ha(-1) yielded significantly higher grain and straw yields (3.03 and 4.69 t due to improved soil physico-chemical and biological properties as compared to other nutrient managements treatments. Interpretation: Conventional tillage and application of 1 0 0% recommended NPK + 7.5 t FYM ha(-1) in Aifisols was effective in producing higher grain and straw yield of rainfed finger millet, along with improved soil health and productivity.