Impact of precise land levelling on wheat (Triticum aestivum) based cropping systems Singh Y.P.*, Tomar Sandeep S.1, Yadav Ravi, Hada Neeraj Directorate of Extension Education Services, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior, 474 002, Madhya Pradesh, India 1RVSKVV-ZARS, Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India *Corresponding author (Email: ypsinghkvk@gmail.com)
Online published on 28 April, 2023. Abstract An on-farm study was conducted on impact of land levelling methods on rainy season pigeon pea, green gram, sesame, pearl millet, and rice crop grown in wheat-based cropping systems on productivity of crops and systems, economics, water productivity (WP) and soil physicochemical properties. The major objective of this study was to investigate to improve the system-based productivity, economics, WP, and various parameters of soil quality. The trials on the treatments of levelling of land through precision-based laserassisted levelling (PLL) compared with traditional land levelling (TLL) under rainy season crops grown in wheat-based cropping systems were conducted during five years (2016 to 2022). The results of the PLL method significantly enhanced the seed yield of rainy season crops by 6.3 to 12.7 per cent followed by wheat from 7.0 to 12.0 per cent, wheat equivalent yield (WEY) of system productivity by 6.6 to 10.7 per cent, and additional net profit of the system from Rs. 12,500 to 25,700 ha−1 as compared with TLL. Adoption of PLL help in saving total water use (TWU) from 83 to 184 mm-ha and increasing WP from 19.1 to 30.7 per cent as compared with TLL. Results highlighted that overall improvement in system-based WEY and net returns of wheat-based cropping systems were in order: pigeon pea > rice > pearl millet > green gram > sesame. The PLL treatment significantly increased the soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur, while decreasing the electrical conductivity and pH as compared with TLL. Results indicated that wheat-based cropping systems establishment after PLL can be made more sustainable productive, economic profitable, ameliorate soil physicochemical properties and save TWU in scarce/canal support irrigation system. Top Keywords Precise levelling, Cropping system, Productivity, Water use, Soil properties. Top |