Influence of crop rotation and tillage systems on soil properties and productivity of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Malwa region of Central India

Abstract

Soil physical, chemical and biochemical properties and productivity of soybean and wheat in Malwa region of Central India were studied under a long-term field trial involving four soybean based crop rotations (soybean-wheat, soybean-wheat-maize-wheat, soybean-wheat-soybean-wheat-maize- wheat and soybean+maize-wheat) and three tillage systems (conventional-conventional, conventional-reduced and reduced-reduced) being continuously maintained since, 2001. After completing six cropping seasons, the reduced-reduced (R-R) tillage system considerably increased the bulk density, porosity and water filled pore space (WFPS) at wheat harvest during 2007-08. The R-R and conventional-reduced (C-R) tillage systems had significantly higher available P and K content in the surface soil. The R-R tillage system significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and light fraction carbon (LFC) contents as compared to C-C and C-R systems. On mean basis, maximum soybean yield was obtained in C-C tillage system (2.13 t/ha) which was 1.4 and 6.5% higher over C-R and R-R systems, respectively while, wheat grain yield under C-C tillage system was higher to the tune of 2.2 and 5.1% over C-R and R-R system.

There was no significant influence of crop rotation on bulk density, porosity and WFPS at wheat harvest during 2007-08. Inclusion of maize in the crop rotation increased the available P and K content in the soil. The crop rotations viz. S-W-M-W and S-W-S-W-M-W had higher SOC, POC and LFC contents as compared to S-W rotation. On mean basis, maximum soybean seed yield (2.54 t/ha) was recorded in S+M-W rotation which was higher to the tune of 21.5, 39.6 and 36.6 % over S-W, S- W-M-W and S-W-S-W-M-W rotations, respectively. Crop rotations did not show considerable effect on wheat grain yield.