Effect of seed priming, nutrient management and tillage practices on productivity of rainfed maize-wheat system
Loading...
Date
2022-12-24
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CSK HPKV, Palampur
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted from kharif 2020 to rabi 2021-2022 at the Irrigation and
Water Management Farm of Department of Soil Science, CSKHPKV, Palampur. (H.P.) to
study the effect of seed priming, nutrient management and tillage practices on productivity of
rainfed maize-wheat cropping system. The experiment was laid out in randomized block
design with three factors viz., tillage practices, seed priming and nutrient management
practices and was replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of three tillage practices
[Conventional tillage (CT), CT + mulch (CT+M) and Zero tillage+ mulch (ZT+M)]; two seed
priming [Hydropriming and micronutrient priming (0.5%Zn and 0.1%Mn)] and two nutrient
management practices [recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (120:60:40 in maize and
80:40:40 in wheat) and Integrated nutrient management(50% N through FYM + 50% N and
rest of P and K through inorganic sources)]. An additional treatment of control (CT, No
priming, RDF) was also kept for general comparison of results. The soil of the experimental
site was silty clay loam in texture, acidic in reaction, medium in organic carbon, available
phosphorus and potassium and low in available nitrogen. Results revealed that significantly
higher growth and yield attributes, yield, nutrient content and uptake, system and water
productivity and economic returns were obtained with conventional tillage + mulch followed
by zero tillage + mulch amongst tillage practices, integrated nutrient management over RDF
among nutrient management, whereas seed priming methods did not differ with respect to
different parameters. As compared to initial status soil physical and chemical properties viz.
bulk density, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium content at end of two years cropping cycle improved significantly under
conventional tillage + mulch and integrated nutrient management practice followed by zero
tillage + mulch and integrated nutrient management system. For obtaining higher crop and
water productivity as well as economic returns in maize-wheat cropping system under rainfed
condition, conventional tillage + mulch practice with integrated nutrient management and
seed priming should be adopted.