Manmohanjit SinghJaspreet Singh2024-03-042024-03-042024Jaspreet Singh (2024). Deficit micro-irrigation and mulching effects on system productivity, water use efficiency and water dynamics in maize-wheat cropping system (Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810207369Maize-wheat is the third most important cropping system after the rice-wheat and rice-rice in India. Maize-wheat crop rotation is mostly practiced under rainfed or limited available water conditions. Optimum use of limited available irrigation water using micro-irrigation and in-situ water management practices is utmost important keeping on view the changing climatic scenario. The present study entitled “Deficit micro-irrigation and mulching effects on system productivity, water use efficiency and water dynamics in maize-wheat cropping system” was conducted at Regional Research Station, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab, during 2021-22 and 2022-23. The field experiment comprised four irrigation levels (I0: Rainfed, I1: Irrigation to compensate 50% available water depletion (AWD), I2: Compensate 75% AWD, I3: Compensate 100% of AWD) and three levels of mulch (M0: no mulch, MR: residue mulch (7.5 ton/ha crop residues) and MP: Plastic mulch (Silver black coloured mulch sheet) replicated thrice in randomized block design. The significantly higher soil moisture content was observed under I3 irrigation level leading to better plant growth of maize and wheat during both years. The grain and straw yield of maize (42.64 and 67.18 q/ha) were significantly higher under I3 irrigation level as compared to I1 and I0, but it was statistically similar to I2 irrigation level. However, in case of wheat, the grain and straw yield under I3 (39.87 and 28.61 q/ha) were significantly higher than I2, I1 and I0. The system productivity (85.60 and 85.36 q/ha) obtained under I3 treatments was significantly higher as compared to I2, I1 and rainfed treatments during both years. The simulated soil profile moisture content using HYDRUS-1D model was comparable to observed values at different growth stages of the crops. It can be concluded that in case of maize the irrigation level I2 (compensating 75% of AWD) and in case of wheat I3 (compensate 100% of AWD) was suitable for obtaining higher crop yield with maximum water use efficiency under maize-wheat cropping system in limited water conditions.EnglishThesis