Assessment of different tillage practices for sowing of wheat under manual harvested rice

Abstract:

This study evaluated four tillage practices for wheat sowing following manual rice harvesting in District Panipat, Haryana, within the Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS) prevalent in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The assessed practices included conventional broadcast sowing with rotary tillage (T1), zero tillage with a zero till seed drill (T2), zero tillage with a happy seeder (T3), and super seeder sowing (T4). Conducted over three years (2022-2024), the trials compared the agronomic performance and economic viability of these techniques. The results consistently showed that zero tillage with a zero-till seed drill (T2) provided the best economic returns and bene-fit-cost ratios, despite not always producing the highest yields. On average of over the years, the super seeder (T4) achieved the highest grain yield but incurred greater operational costs, reducing its profitability. The happy seeder (T3) exhibited intermediate performance, supporting its role as an alternative conservation tillage option. This study highlights the trade-offs between maximizing yield and optimizing economic efficiency, emphasizing the importance of residue management, especially considering anchored stubbles after manual rice harvesting. These findings advocate for adopting zero tillage with a zero till seed drill as a cost-effective and sustainable wheat establishment method in the RWCS, balancing productivity, profitability, and resource conservation.