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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
An experiment was carried out in eastern sub-Himalayan plains of India to assess the performances of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under various crop establishment techniques and to find out the influence of mulching and irrigation on productivity, moisture use and profitability of wheat cultivation. Results indicated the superiority of bed planting (BP) in terms of biomass production and grain yield over zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT). Significantly higher biomass was recorded under bed planting (BP) over that under conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT). Grain yield was increased by 13 and 16.9% under BP over that under CT during 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively. Grain yield increased significantly under mulch treated plots over that under non-mulched plots, irrespective of irrigation levels. Least water use with higher water use efficiency and water productivity were measured under BP. Under all three crop establishment techniques, contribution of top 0-15 cm layer was maximum towards total moisture use by the crop where straw mulch was used. While in non-mulch treatment, there was no definite trend in moisture extraction pattern as contributed by various layers. However, increase in number of irrigation further increased the moisture availability in top 0-15 cm soil layer. The maximum benefit-cost (B: C) ratio (2.68) was recorded under BP with mulching and three irrigations. It was revealed that BP along with paddy straw mulching @ 4 t/ha and three irrigations is a good option for the wheat farmers of the Eastern sub-Himalayan plains in terms of productivity, water use and profitability.