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To
identify suitable chickpea-based cropping system, field experiment was
conducted for two years (2010-2011 and 2011-2012) with three preceding
rainy-season crops: pearl millet, cluster bean and green gram along with three treatments viz. no
residue, crop residue and Leucaena twigs mulching. The rainy season crops and
chickpea were grown under rainfed condition with zero-tillage. Chickpea showed higher root length density
(RLD), root surface area (RSA), root volume
density (RVD) and average root diameter under crop
residues, followed by Leucaena twigs. The pooled analysis of data showed
significant yearly variations on seed yield of chickpea. Pearl millet as
preceding crop resulted in significantly higher yield of chickpea (1.31 t ha-1
in 2010-2011 and 1.06 t ha-1 in 2011-2012), followed by green gram
and cluster bean. Pearl millet with Leucaena twigs showed significantly higher
chickpea yield (1.68 t ha-1), highest gross returns (37.72 × 103
IRs ha-1), net returns (25.52 × 103 IRs ha-1) and net returns/IRS invested (2.09) in
2010-2011. However, higher chickpea yield (1.46 t ha-1), the highest
gross returns (44.02 × 103 IRs ha-1), net returns (25.87 ×
103 IRs ha-1) and
net returns/IRs invested (1.42) were received after pearl millet with crop
residues in 2011-2012. The same trend was followed for nutrient uptake.
Chickpea after pearl millet with crop residues or Leucaena twigs resulted
high-yield and profitable cropping system under zero-till semi-arid condition.
INTRODUCTION
Zero tillage is trending as a changing way to
the sustainability of intensive production systems under both irrigated and
rainfed conditions which leads to management of water and soil for agricultural
activities without disturbing the soil. Zero till improves the soil health as
well as facilitates the timely sown crops to utilize the residual soil moisture
[1]. Zero tillage improves the quality of soil
by returning crop organic residues and influencing favorable effects on
physio-chemical properties of soil. Furthermore, zero tillage leads to decrease
weed infestation owing to favorable soil environment which are responsible for
better crop growth and higher yield.
Mulching increases soil porosity which has
direct effect on soil aeration, enhance root growth and crop development [2,3]. Also, mulching has
favorable effect on soil organic carbon, water retention, temperature and
increases water stable aggregates on surface layer [4,5]. Application of
mulch of Leucaena leucocephala and other legume species in standing
crops helps in conservation of soil moisture for proper growth and development
[6-8].
This study was conducted for understanding
the effects of preceding rainy-season crops and residue management practices on
growth, productivity, nutrient uptake and profitability of chickpea under
zero-till semi-arid rainfed condition.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A field experiment was conducted
to study the effect of residue management and preceding rainy-season crops on
growth, productivity, nutrient uptake and profitability of chickpea-based
cropping systems. The
cropping systems involved combinations of three crops (pearl millet, cluster bean
and green gram) in rainy season followed by chickpea under zero-till
rainfed condition.
The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with four replications
and three treatments of surface cover management, viz. control (no-residue),
crop residues @ 5 t ha-1 and Leucaena twigs @ 10 t ha-1.
Root samples were
taken at flowering stage (60 DAS) in rainy and winter-season crops (80-90 DAS)
with the help of root auger. Cleanliness and other procedures for root scanning
were accomplished as per standard protocol [9]. The root parameters like root length density, surface area, root
volume and diameter of different thickness of roots were recorded for all six
crops. Scanning
and image analysis using RHIZO system was operated in a computer mounted with
the scanner of RHIZO system. Growth analysis like Leaf area
index (LAI), net assimilation rate (NAR), relative growth rate (RGR) were
calculated. Yield attributes viz. plant population at maturity, number of pods
per plant, number of seeds per plot, test weight, stover yield and harvest
index were recorded. Pooled analysis of seed yield was done for evaluation of
year and treatment interaction effect. Economic analysis was done and expressed
as cost of cultivation, gross and net returns and B:C ratio. The biometric data
on ancillary and yield parameters were analyzed by standard statistical
techniques and regression and correlation analysis for major yield attributes
and seed yield was done [11].
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Root: Shoot growth
and soil moisture
Root is a vital component of plant system. To ensure
normal plant growth and proper root development, the soil must have enough air,
water and nutrients [12]. Root penetration to a greater depth is necessary for
anchorage and uptake of water and nutrients from soil. It is the finer roots
with larger length density (RLD) and surface area, which contribute to more
water and nutrient uptake from surface as well as sub-surface than the thicker
roots, which remained confined to upper surface layers especially under zero-tillage
[13].
Higher CGR and RGR with crop residues under
legume-based systems was reported [6,14]. Legumes can absorb more water from
their deep root system, as a result, showed better performance even under
rainfed condition [9]. More availability of soil moisture after legumes and
crop residues mulching might be due to greater shoot and root biomass
production owing to deep-rooted system and addition of more organic matter
through leaf fall of legumes and helped to conserve more soil moisture,
resulting in higher growth parameters. Residue retention ensured more water
availability to the crop from the effective root-zone due to improving
infiltration, less runoff and checking evaporation loss [15].
Yield performance
Preceding rainy-season crops and residue
management showed significant influence on the seed, Stover and biological
yield of chickpea (Figure 2). Leucaena
twigs after pearl millet recorded significantly higher seed yield (1.68 t ha-1)
than other treatments in 2010-11. The seed yield was significantly higher (1.46
t ha-1) with crop residues after pearl millet in 2011-2012.
Pooled analysis on data on economic yield of
chickpea (Table 4) as affected by
years, preceding crops and residue management showed a significant influence.
The chickpea yield in first year was 9% higher than second year. The evenly
distributed rainfall throughout the winter season during the first year (2010-2011)
was beneficial to chickpea because of coincidence of rain with their flowering
and fruiting period. The uniform distribution of 20 mm rainfall during 2012 was
beneficial for pod filling. Conservation of soil moisture and increased
fertility status after decomposition helped to increase the yield under crop
residues in later years over Leucaena twigs and no-residue.
Nutrient uptake
Tables 5 and 6 shows the nutrient uptake by
chickpea for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
Significant
result was found on interaction effect of preceding crop and residue management
on nutrient uptake, and followed the same trend as that on seed and Stover
yield. The higher uptake of N, P and K in seed and Stover after pearl millet as
preceding crop was noticed in both years. Similarly, crop residues retention
also showed significant variation in nutrient uptake in both years with maximum
uptake under crop residues in 2011-2012. The result for NPK uptake under crop
residues and Leucaena twigs in 2010-2011
was statistically at par.
The increased uptake of NPK under residue
retention could be attributed due to greater availability of conserved soil
moisture to the plants. Significantly higher seed and Stover yield with crop
residues and Lecuaena twigs was due to higher nutrient uptake. Their crop
growth was poor under no-residue; and, therefore NPK uptake was also less.
Pearl millet as preceding crop gave higher dry mater yield and nutrient uptake
of chickpea [9,18].
Economics
The economics of chickpea resulted in the
higher returns with pearl millet and Leucaena twigs in first year and with crop
residues in second year (Table 7).
The
cost of cultivation was relatively higher in 2011-2012 than 2010-2011, while
the gross and net returns showed almost consistent trend in both years. The
increase in production cost in 2011-2012 was due to increase in labor wages
(33% more compared with 2010-2011) and other input costs. Crop residues
themselves have economic value and addition of their market price in the
production costs increased the total cost of cultivation in second year. Leucaena
twigs which were freely available around the farm periphery and only
application costs were incurred.
The price of chickpea was increased by 32% in
2011-2012 which recorded comparatively higher net returns. The economic
analysis exhibited the highest gross returns (37.72 × 103 IRs ha-1),
net returns (25.52 × 103 IRs ha-1) and net returns/IRs
invested (2.09) under pearl millet with Leucaena twigs treatment in 2010-2011.
Similarly, the highest gross returns (44.02 × 103 IRs ha-1),
net returns (25.87 × 103 IRs ha-1) and net returns/IRs
invested (1.42) were recorded under pearl millet with crop residues in 2011-2012.
Our findings are in conformity with those of other workers in pearl millet-based
systems [19].
CONCLUSION
Pearl millet as preceding crops resulted in
better growth, yields and nutrient uptake in chickpea over cluster bean and
green gram. Both Leucaena twigs and crop residue after pearl millet led to
higher returns and net returns/IRs invested in chickpea. Therefore, it was
recommended to grow chickpea after pearl millet with crop residues or Leucaena
twigs for higher productivity and profitability under zero-till semi-arid
condition.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The research is the part of PhD (Agronomy)
manuscript of the first author at IARI, Pusa New Delhi. Indian Council of
Cultural Relations (ICCR), Government of India and Tribhuvan University, IAAS
Rampur Campus, Chitwan, Nepal are highly acknowledged for providing the
financial assistance by the scheme of South Asian Association for Regional
Co-operations (SAARC) Scholarship and granting the study leave, respectively to
the first author.
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