Productivity, profitability and sustainability of different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)- based cropping systems with and without organics
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Date
2008
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The present investigation was carried out at the Research Farm, Division of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, from rabi of 2004 to kharif 2006 with objective to evaluate the most remunerative wheat-based cropping systems under temperate Kashmir Valley and to workout the direct as well as residual effect of organic and biofertilizers separately and in combination along with inorganic fertilizers on production and economics of different wheat-based cropping systems. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Four fertility treatments (F1: Recommended dose of NPK, ; F2 : Recommended dose of NPK + FYM; F3: Recommended dose of NPK + biofertilizer; F4: Recommended dose of NPK + FYM + biofertilizer) were applied to wheat crop in main plots and six cropping sequences (C1 : wheat-rice; C2: wheat-maize; C3: wheat-sunflower; C4: wheat-moong; C5: wheat-soybean; C6: wheat-rajmash) were allotted to sub plots. Treatments F2 (Recommended dose of NPK + FYM) and F4 (Recommended dose of NPK + FYM + biofertilizer) produced significant improvement in growth and yield attributing characters of wheat crop. Grain, straw and biological yield of wheat increased significantly with treatment F4 followed by F2. Percent increase in grain yield over treatment F1 (Recommended dose of NPK) by treatment F2 and F4 was 13.9 and 20% in 2005 and 17.7 and 23% in 2006. Nutrient content and uptake improved with the treatment F4 (Recommended dose of NPK + FYM + bio-fertilizer) followed by F2 (Recommended dose of NPK + FYM). Yield and yield attributing characters of succeeding kharif crops were also improved by the residual effect of organic manures and biofertilizers in conjugation with inorganic fertilizer. Residual effect of preceding pulse crops (moong and rajmash) significantly improved crop growth, yield attributes, grain yield and nutrient uptake by succeeding wheat crop. Drastic reduction in these characters was recorded in sequences where wheat was preceded by rice, maize, sunflower and soybean in general and maize and soybean in particular. Nutrient balance at the end of two year study improved with combined application of inorganic, organic and biological sources of nutrients. Among different sequences wheat-pulse sequences recorded positive nitrogen balance under the influence of combined use of inorganic, organic and biological sources of nutrients. Positive phosphorus balance with wheat-sunflower sequence at the same fertility level and positive potassium balance again with wheat-sunflower sequence at all fertility levels tried were observed at the end of experimentation. Wheat equivalent yield and production efficiency were improved remarkably with combined use of inorganic, organic and biological sources of nutrients with maximum values recorded for wheat-maize and wheat-soybean sequences. Wheat-rice sequence recorded higher values for net profit (Rs62816.17 ha-1) closely followed by wheat-maize (Rs.61799.01 ha-1) with combined use of inorganic, organic and biological sources of nutrients. Maximum value for benefit cost ratio was observed for wheat-maize sequence with combined use of inorganic and biological sources of nutrients. Wheat-rice sequence proved to be more productive and remunerative. Thus this sequences could be recommended for maximum profit under temperate Kashmir Valley conditions. Wheat-moong and wheat-rajmash sequences on the other hand improved soil fertility and had a positive residual effect on succeeding wheat crop. Moreover, to make the system more productive combined use of inorganic, organic and biological sources of nutrients is suggested.