Soil Properties, Nutrient Availability vis-à-vis Uptake and Productivity of Rainfed Maize-Wheat System in Response to Long-Term Tillage and N Management in Northwest India

Long-term tillage and nitrogen management are useful for determining how crop management strategies affect soil sustainability and crop productivity. The long-term impact of tillage practices [conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT1) and reduced tillage + herbicide application (RT2)] and nitrogen sources [100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through compost (N1), 50% RDN through compost and 50% through urea (N2) and 100% RDN through urea (N3)] in maize-wheat system was evaluated for soil properties, nutrient uptake and crop productivity. The results highlighted that RT2 significantly resulted in 10% higher soil organic carbon (SOC), 13% phosphorus and 5% bulk density than CT whereas RT1 had significantly higher available nitrogen (3%) and infiltration rate (43%) than CT. However, potassium declined significantly in reduced tillage treatments than CT. Compost application (N1) significantly increased SOC, nitrogen, potassium and infiltration but reduced bulk density than N2 and N3. Reduced tillage + herbicide application with integrated nutrient management (RT2 and N2) significantly resulted in higher grain yield (3896 and 3469 kg ha‒1) and water use efficiency (7.81 and 14.68 kg ha–1 mm–1) in maize and wheat, respectively. The treatment, RT2 significantly resulted in higher net returns in maize (₹ 34512) and wheat (₹ 38134) than CT and RT1. In maize, the highest net returns (₹ 31170) were recorded in N2, whereas in wheat N3 (₹ 34882) performed better than N1 and N2. The results imply that long-term reduced tillage and nitrogen through integrated nutrient management improve soil properties, nutrient uptake and crop productivity under rainfed conditions.