On farm wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity, profitability and soil health as influenced by different sowing and nutrient management practices in vertisols of south- eastern Rajasthan

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during three consecutive winter (rabi) seasons (2010-11 to 2012-
13) to evaluate effective seed rate and fertilizer management in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at farmer's
field in vertisols of south- eastern plains of Rajasthan. The experiment was consisted of 10 sowing
practices having 175%, 100, 125, 150 and seed rate with 100, 125 and 150% phosphorus as DAP
applied through mixed drill and seed cum ferti-drill and 3 nitrogen management practices i.e. farmer
practice (15% N at basal+70% N at I irrigation +15% N at II irrigation), recommended practice (50%
N at basal and 50% N at I irrigation) and refined practice of three equal splits of N (33.3% at
basal+33.3% at I irrigation+33.3% at II irrigation). Among the sowing practices, application of 150%
recommended seed rate along with 125% recommended phosphorus as DAP through either seed
cum ferti-drill or mixed drill practice had significant effect on spikes/m row (71.4), effective tillers/
plant (4.4), grains/spike (46.2) and 1000-grain weight (42.3 g), grain yield (5.6 t/ha), net return
(`59,813/ha),total N and P uptake (106.8 and 24.9 kg/ha respectively) by wheat crop over rest of
the treatments. While plant height (91.2 cm), dry matter (88.6 g/m row), production (44.4kg/ha/
day) and economic efficiency (`635/ha/days) and soil P (18.8 kg/ha) were significantly higher
with 150% seed rate:150% phosphorus as DAP through seed cum ferti-drill. The benefit cost ratio
(2.99 and 2.98) was obtained significantly higher with 150% recommended seed rate along with
100% recommended phosphorus as DAP either mixed drill practice or seed cum ferti-drill over
rest of treatments except SP4, SP7, SP9 and SP10. Soil pH, organic carbon and potassium did not
influenced significantly by different sowing practices except nitrogen and phosphorus. Significantly
highest dry matter (87 g/m row), spikes/m row (70.2), effective tillers/plant (4.5), grains/spike
(45.18) and 1000-grain weight (42 g), grain yield (5.4 t/ha) , total N and P uptake (101.7 and 22.3 kg/
ha), crop production (42. kg/ha/day) and economic efficiency (`635/ha/day), net return (`57,440/
ha), benefit cost ratio (2.87) and soil N (279 kg/ha) were recorded in refined practice of three equal
splits of N (33.3% at basal+33.3% at I irrigation+33.3% at II irrigation) over recommended practice
(50% N at basal and 50% N at I irrigation) and farmer practice (15% N at basal+70% N at I
irrigation+15% N at II irrigation). Thus, the result showed that application of 150% recommended
seed rate along with 125% recommended phosphorus as DAP through either seed cum ferti-drill
or mixed drill practice found beneficral for obtaining higher productivity and profitability in vertisols.