SELECTIVE TILLAGE PRACTICES FOR IMPROVING IN SITU SOIL MOISTURE AND CROP YIELD IN COTTON BASED CROPPING SYSTEM

S.D. PAYAL¹*, G.U. SHINDE^2
1Dept. of Soil & Water Conservation Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, V.N.M.A. University, Parbhani - 431 401, MS, India.
²Dept. of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, V.N.M.A. University, Parbhani - 431 401, MS, India.
* Corresponding Author : sandippayal35@gmail.com

Received : 22-02-2015     Accepted : 28-04-2015     Published : 12-05-2015
Volume : 7     Issue : 1       Pages : 427 - 429
Int J Agr Sci 7.1 (2015):427-429

Keywords : In-situ Soil Moisture, Tillage treatments
Academic Editor : Dr Ashok S. Kadale
Conflict of Interest : None declared

A field investigation entitled “Effect of tillage practices for soil moisture conservation and crop yield under cotton based cropping system in vertisol” was conducted during kharif season 2012-2013 at All India Co-ordinate Research Project (AICRP), for Dry Land Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, with Cotton and Soybean crop. The experiment was laid out in spilt plot design with four main treatments viz one ploughing followed by one harrowing across the slope up to 10 cm (T1) (control), up to 20cm depth (T2), up to 30cm depth (T3), and up to 40cm depth (T4) and sub main treatments with cropping systems viz sole cotton (C1), cotton + soybean (C2) (1:2) and sole soybean (C3). Treatment wise and replication wise sowing of cotton and soybean was done across the slope in the field to know the effect of tillage treatment on soil moisture conservation, replication wise soil sample were collected at 15cm, 30cm 45cm depth and the soil moisture was recorded fortnightly. Treatment and replication wise biometric observations viz. height of plant, number of bolls/pods and number of branches were also recorded fortnightly. Treatment and replication wise seed cotton and soybean yield was recorded. Among tillage practices one ploughing followed by one harrowing across the slope up to 30 cm depth (T3) recorded significantly higher soil moisture content (21.16 %), best vegetative growth, highest cotton equivalent yield. in sole cotton (18.73 q/ha). and intercropping (20.25 q/ha) and highest Gross Monetary Return (73047 Rs/ha), Net Monitory return (50201Rs./ha) and Benefit cost ratio (B:C) (3.19) over rest of the treatments.