Enhanced crop productivity and environmental benefits by adoption of zero-till cultivation in wheat and summer pulses

Abstract

Rice-wheat-pulse is an important cropping system of eastern Madhya Pradesh. Farmers arefollowing traditional methods of sowing characterized by intensive tillage and higher crop seedrate. Previous crop residue burning is also prevalent which causes environmental pollution. UnderFarmer FIRST Programme, two villages have been undertaken from Panagar block of Jabalpurdistrict. An attempt has been made to demonstrate the benefits of zero-tillage sowing by happyseeder machine and residue mulching. The results at farmer’s field were encouraging and showedimproved B:C ratio of 70% in wheat, 58.6% in summer greengram, 50.1% in blackgram byintervention of zero-tillage, improved seed, herbicide application, and over farmer’s practice. Thenon-burning of the crop residues reduced the emission of 976.07 mg of CO2 , 25.55 mg of CO,2.85 mg of CH4 , 0.55 Mg of N2O and 0.40 mg of SO2 to the atmosphere.