Evaluation of Tillage and Crop Establishment Methods on Carbon Sustainability Index and Nutrient Use Efficiency of Cotton-Wheat System

Evaluation of Tillage and Crop Establishment Methods on Carbon Sustainability Index and Nutrient Use Efficiency of Cotton-Wheat System

Rakesh Choudhary1,4*, D P Nandal1, H S Sidhu2, H S Jat3, Mamta Nehra4 and M L Jat3

1CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana
2Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Ladhowal 141004, Punjab
3CIMMYT, NASC Complex, Pusa 110012, New Delhi
4Agricultural Research Station, Mandor, Agriculture University, Jodhpur 342304
Keywords: Carbon Sustainability Index, Nutrient use efficiency, Conservation agriculture, Conventional tillage, Nutrient harvest index
https://doi.org/10.37273/chesci.cs20510143  • PDF

Abstract

Conservation agriculture-based cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop rotations with intensification of mungbean are advocated as alternate to conventional cotton-wheat (CW) system in South Asia due to better strategies for tackling the issues of soil health deterioration, plant nutrients status and over exploitation of underground water resources, particularly in conventional tillage based intensive crop rotations. A field experiment was conducted during 2013-14 and 2014-15 at Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Ladhowal (Punjab), to evaluate the impacts of tillage and crop establishment techniques significantly maximum C input of cotton wheat system was estimated under CT with 808.55 MJ ha-1 during both years compared to sustainable intensification practices. Among sustainable intensification practices, minimum C input was under PB-A and maximum C-output was recorded under PBB-AM. CSI was significantly higher under PB-B (15.23 and 15.06) during 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively. Significantly a higher value of NUE of cotton was found under PB-B (16.65 kg grain kg-1 NPK applied) over all other treatments. Nutrient harvest index was found non-significant.

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