Conservation tillage and manure effect on soil aggregation, yield and energy requirement for wheat (Triticum aestivum) in vertisols

Abstract

Conservation tillage is gaining significant economic and environmental importance under changing climatic conditions. Hence this study was carried out to assess interactive effect of conservation tillage and manure treatments on soil aggregation, crop performance and energy requirement for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop under vertisols of central India. The experiment was taken in a split plot design for four consecutive cropping seasons since 2008, with two tillage treatments, no tillage (NT) and reduced tillage (RT) in the main plot, and seven manure treatments in the sub plots. The effects were compared to farmer's practice, i.e. conventional tillage (CT). The seven manure treatments included application of FYM at the rate of 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 Mg C/ha, applied every year and 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 Mg C/ha, applied at initiation of experiment. After four years of experiment, the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates was 1.4 and 1.2 times higher under NT and RT, respectively, as compared to CT. Averaged over manure treatments, the grain yield was higher by 1.17 and 0.59 Mg/ha in NT and RT, respectively, than the CT. The energy requirement was 4.68 and 2.32 times higher under CT, as compared to NT and RT systems. Also, the cost of production of wheat was 40.62% and 21.12% higher in CT as compared to NT and RT, respectively, resulting in saving of ' 7 800 and ' 4 725/ha/year in the two conservation tillage systems.