An integrated approach using organic amendments under a range of tillage practices to improve wheat productivity in a cereal based cropping system

Abstract

Field studies were conducted over two years with the objectives to improve soil fertility and minimize the use of commercial fertilizer. It was comprised of three tillage practices included minimum (MT), conventional (CT) and deep (DT) and twelve nitrogen sources treatments including farm yard manure (FYM) (10 or 20 tons ha -1), soybean residue (SR) (10 tons ha -1) in sole and/or in conjugation with half of inorganic nitrogen (UN) as urea (60 or 120 kg ha -1), a control and sole full doses of inorganic N. Low soil fertility and yield was observed for deep tillage than minimum or conventional tillage. Minimum tillage improved soil fertility in term of mineral N as well crop productivity and uptake of N (11%) compared to DT. FYM (20 tones ha -1) and UN (60 kg ha -1) application improved soil fertility, crop productivity, and grain protein. Mixed application of FYM and urea increased total N uptake by plants and yield efficiency in term of harvest index was better for SR+UN treatment. Value cost ratio was higher for sole FYM, whereas relative increase in income was higher for FYM+UN. Thus using a mixture of FYM and UN under minimum tillage might be an optimum agronomic practice for improved productivity, soil fertility and economical disposition of waste material. Further studies are suggested to quantify the form of N uptake by plants for better and sustainable N management practices in cereal base (wheat-maize) cropping system.