Residue retention and soil matric potential-based irrigation to improveproductivity, energy efficiency and profitability of wheat (Triticum aestivum)

PARMINDER KAUR; JASJIT SINGH KANG; JAGROOP KAUR; SURJIT SINGH MANHAS; NAVEEN GUPTA

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i5.163569

Authors

PARMINDER KAUR Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India
JASJIT SINGH KANG Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India
JAGROOP KAUR Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India
SURJIT SINGH MANHAS Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India
NAVEEN GUPTA Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i5.163569

Keywords:

Economics, Energetics, Residue management, Soil moisture potential, Wheat

Abstract

High energy consumption and declining profitability in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production following rice (Oryza sativa L.) pose significant challenges to sustainable agriculture. Inefficient residue management practices, and traditional irrigation methods lead to excessive energy use, environmental degradation, and reduced economic returns. To address these issues, a field experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) season of 2021–22 and 2022–23 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab to evaluate the productivity, energetics and profitability of wheat under residue management and soil matric potential-based irrigation. The experiment was laid out in randomised complete block design (RCBD) comprising nine treatments of crop residue management including conventional tillage (CT) with/without rice residue, zero tillage (ZT) with/without rice residue, ZT with rice residue and retention of wheat residue, ZT after partial burning of rice residue, with irrigation at 35±1 kPa in all crop residue management treatments. Higher grain yield, net energy, energy use efficiency and energy productivity were obtained in ZT (double crop residue) + irrigation at 35±1 kPa while, economic returns, viz. net returns, gross returns and benefit-cost ratio were maximum under ZT (single crop residue) + irrigation at 35±1 kPa. Principal component analysis further indicated strong positive relationships among grain yield, energy output, net energy and economic returns, with residue retention treatments showing close association with improved productivity and energy efficiency. Overall, the study suggests that ZT with rice residue retention combined with soil moisture potential-based irrigation scheduling (35±1 kPa) is an effective strategy for improving productivity, energy efficiency and profitability of wheat grown after rice.

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