Wheat (Triticum aestivum) productivity under different tillage practices and legume options in rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat cropping sequence

Screening of suitable tillage practices and legumes between rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the need of hour to maintain the wheat productivity, which is hampering in rice wheat sequence. Considering this, experiments were conducted during 2006-07 to 2009-10, at Norman E Borlogue Crop Research Centre of G B Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar. The experimental plots were silty clay loam, medium in organic carbon, available phosphorus and low in nitrogen, however the pH was slightly alkaline. Pooled analyses were done for four years considering the years as main plot of split plot design. However, sub plot contained three tillage practices, i.e zero tillage (ZT), raised bed system (RBS) and conventional tillage (CT). Three legumes namely greengram (Vigna radiata L.), cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] and vegetable pea (Pisum sativum var hortense) were kept in sub sub plots. The findings revealed that, over the years, wheat yield markedly influenced by maximum temperature as compared to other weather attributes. Simultaneously, tillage and legume interaction was non-significant on wheat yield. Mean effect of the treatments vindicated that metric parameters, viz plant height, dry matter accumulation, biological yield, grain yield, straw yield, grain straw ratio and harvest index were significantly influenced by years, tillage practices and legume inclusion. Year 2007-08 was the good year for wheat performance. Among the tillage practices conventional tillage retained maximum metric traits than the other tillage practices, however in case of legume inclusion; cowpea gave maximum metric traits. Significant effects of treatments were also noticed on NPK uptake, available N in soil, net returns and benefit cost ratio and system productivity. Maximum values of these parameters were noticed during 2007-08. Maximum available N, NPK uptake were observed in zero tillage. Greengram containing plots had maximum available N but vegetable containing plots had higher nutrient content and uptake. Net return, benefit cost ratio were maximum under zero tillage and vegetable pea containing plots. Conventional tillage and vegetable pea contained plots gave maximum system productivity. Therefore, conventional tillage and cowpea inclusion is good for wheat yield but for economics point of view zero tillage practices and inclusion of vegetable pea is better.