Evaluation of wheat and rice varieties under conservation and natural farming systems

Abstract

newline A field experiment was conducted from rabi 2019-20 to kharif 2021 at the Experimental newlineFarms of Department of Agronomy, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, newlinePalampur and at Rice and Wheat Research centre (RWRC) Malan (H.P.) to study the newlineperformance of wheat and rice varieties under different cultivation system. The objective of newlinethe investigation was to identify the varieties specially suited for different cultivation newlinepractices. The soil of the experimental field at both the locations was silty clay loam in newlinetexture, acidic in reaction, medium in organic carbon, medium in available nitrogen, newlinephosphorus and potassium in content. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with newlinefour cultivation practices namely reduced tillage, zero tillage, conventional tillage and natural newlinefarming in main plot and three varieties each of wheat (HPW 349, HPW 368 and HS 562) and newlinerice viz., Sukara Dhan 1 (HPR 1156), Him Palam Dhan 1 (HPR 2656) and Him Palam Lal newlineDhan 1 (HPR 2795) in sub plots, replicated thrice. Results so obtained revealed that newlineconventional tillage resulted in significantly higher values of growth, yield attributes and newlineyield of both the crops at both the locations though the adoption of reduced tillage, in which newlinesecondary tillage is avoided both the crop residues were used gave comparable yield in wheat. newlineAmong the wheat varieties tested HPW 368 recorded significantly higher values of growth newlineparameter, yield attributes and yield while rice variety Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 recorded newlinesignificantly higher values of yield attributes and yield at both the locations. Significantly newlinelower values of yield attributes and yield were recorded in natural farming treatment in both newlinethe crops and at both the locations Higher value of economic indicators were recorded in newlineconventional tillage in both the crops while natural farming resulted in the lowest values of newlinegross return, net return and B:C ratio. Bulk density and water holding capacity of soil was not newlineinfluences by cultivation practices as well as varieties while significantly higher values of newlineavailable nutrients as well as higher organic carbon was recorded in reduced tillage while newlinelowest values were recorded in natural farming. In case of wheat, conventional tillage and newlineHPW 368 while in case of rice, conventional tillage and Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 (HPR 2795) newlinewere found to be the best treatments for better growth and higher productivity and profitability newlineof wheat- rice cropping system.