Crop Residues Management for Rice-Wheat Cropping System in Saline-Sodic Soil

Abstract

Series of field experiments were conducted to evaluate the long term effect of gypsum and crop residue on crop yield and soil health in rice-wheat crop rotation system in salt affected soil. A saline-sodic field having ECe (electrical conductivity of the saturation extract) 4.77 (dS m-1); pH (H2O) 8.96; SAR 43.78 (mmol L-1) and gypsum requirement (G.R.) 2.86 (Mg acre-1) was selected on Soil Salinity Research Institute Farm. Five treatments consisting of (T1) control, (T2) gypsum at 100% G.R., (T3) gypsum at 25% G.R. + wheat straw at 3 Mg ha-1, (T4) gypsum at 25% G.R. + rice straw at 3 Mg ha-1, (T5) gypsum at 25% G.R.+ rice and wheat straw at 3 Mg ha-1 were replicated four times under completely randomized block design. The data indicated that grain and straw yield of rice and wheat was significantly (P<0.05) increased by all the amendments used either single or in combination. T2 (gypsum at 100% G.R.) significantly (P<0.05) increased grain and straw yield of rice and wheat crops followed by T3 (gypsum at 25% G.R. + wheat straw at 3 Mg ha-1) when compared with control. Soil properties were also improved by used amendments, pronounced decreased in ECe, pHs and SAR were recorded in T2 followed by T3. The efficiency of the treatments could be arranged in following order gypsum at 100% G.R.> gypsum at 25% G.R. + wheat straw at 3 Mg ha-1> gypsum at 25% G.R. + rice and wheat straw at 3 Mg ha-1> gypsum at 25% G.R. + rice straw at 3 Mg ha-1> control.