Vol. 8 (4) : July-August 2017 issue
Green Farming Vol. 8 (4) : 962-965 ; July-August, 2017
Management of cropping systems for resource conservation
A.M. PATEL1, P.K. PATEL2, A.K. SAINI3 and K.M. PATEL4*
Centre for Res. on Integrated Farming Systems, S.D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar - 385 506 (Gujarat)
Designation : 1Chief Agronomist, 2,3,4Assistant Research Scientist *(patelkunjal5@gmail.com)
Subject : Agronomy and Crop Production
Paper No. : P-6610
Total Pages : 4
Received : 15 March 2017
Revised accepted : 25 May 2017
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Citation :
A.M. PATEL, P.K. PATEL, A.K. SAINI and K.M. PATEL. 2017. Management of cropping systems for resource conservation. Green Farming Vol. 8 (4) : 962-965 ; July-August, 2017
ABSTRACT
The field experiment was conducted to assess the management of cropping systems for resource conservation on loamy sand soils of North Gujarat Agro climatic Zone at Centre for Research on Integrated Farming Systems at Sardarkrushinagar during 2009-10 to 2014-15. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design having combinations of two factors i.e. I. Tillage T1 : Minimum (one cultivator) and T2 : Conventional tillage (two cultivator & one disc harrow) and II. Cropping systems C1 : Pearl millet – mustard, C2 : Castor + greengram – Summer greengram and C3 : Greengram - mustard – summer pearl millet in main plot, while in sub-plot the combination of I. Mulch M1: No mulch and M2 : Mulch/Residue incorporation and II. Fertilizer levels F1 : RDF (recommended dose of fertilizer) and F2 : 25 % higher RDF were tried in three replications. The pooled results of six years experimentation show that treatment comprising conventional tillage, in castor + greengram-summer greengram with mulch residue incorporation was found superior when fertilized with 25 % higher than the recommended dose of fertilizers. The treatment has produced higher pearl millet equivalent yield, net return, system productivity and system profitability than other treatment combinations. The soil analysis data also indicated that as compared to initial status there was built-up is soil sustainability as measured by, water holding capacity, bulk density, organic carbon (OC), available-P and available-K in all the treatments but maximum values of OC, P and K were recorded under C2 : Castor + greengram- summer greengram, mulch (residue incorporation) and 25 % higher RDF.
Key words :
B:C ratio, Cropping system, Mulch (residue incorporation), Resource conservation, Soil fertility.