SEMINAR DELIVERED IN DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY, S.V.P.U.A. & T. MEERUT. U.P.

1. A Seminar
On
EFFECT OF TILLAGE AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES ON WHEAT PRECEDED BY RICE
Presented by:
Darvin Pal
Id. No.- 1480
Ph.D.(Agronomy)
Department of Agronomy
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Uni. of Ag. & Tech.
Meerut-250110 1

2. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the second most important cereal
crop of India next to rice and accounts for 31.5% of the total food
grain basket of the country.
It covers an area of 29.64 m ha with total production of 92.46 mt and
average productivity of 31.20q ha-1.
The total area of wheat in the world is around 221.12 m ha with
production of 697.8 mt. The average world productivity is 31.55q ha-1.
Wheat crop contributes substantially to the national food security by
providing more than 50 % of the calories to the people who mainly
depend on it.
In India, U.P having first rank in production(30.29,m.t) and
area(9.73,m.ha) while in productivity Haryana having first rank with
50.30q ha-1 and UP forth rank with 31.13 q ha-1 yield.
INTRODUCTION

3.  Rice and Wheat are two most common grain crops of
India. Occupying 42 and 29.64 million hectare area,
respectively.
 These two crops contributes 75% of total food grain
needs.
 In India the rice-wheat rotation is the dominant across in
Indo- Gangetic flood plains and in the Himalayan foot
hills.
 Approximately 73% of rice-grown in rotation with wheat.
 Nearly 65% of total amount of fertilizer used in country
(13.88 mt) is applied to rice and wheat crops. In case of
undulated type of topography the erosion risk is very high
causes the decline in the soil quality in addition to this
production cost of raising to crops (wheat) is also
increasing.
 These problems can be overcome to a great extent if
appropriate tillage method is used by the farmers.

4. BIHAR
5%
G.J
4%
HARYANA
14%
M.P
11%
M.H
2%
PUNJAB
18%
RAJASTHAN
10%
U.P
32%
U.K
1%
W.B
1%
OTHERS
2%
% Share in production
State wise contribution to wheat area and production
BIHAR,
7.79
G.J, 1.84
HARYANA, 8.56
M.P, 14.77
M.H, 3.52
PUNJAB, 12.66
RAJASTHAN,
9.65
U.P, 33.8
U.K, 1.5
W.B, 1.45
, 0
% Share in Area
Source- FAO STAT 2012
4

5. Importance of wheat in food grain production scenario
crops Normal Area ( M
ha) and % of Total
Area (In
parentheses)
Normal Production (
M tons) and %
share of Production
(In parentheses)
Rice 42 (35) 89 (41)
Wheat 29(24) 80 (37)
Total food grains 121 218
Sources: Fertilizer statistics (2010-11)

6. Problems of Rice Wheat Cropping System
• Time consuming
• Delayed wheat sowing
• Flood irrigation
• Higher cost of
Labour
Water
Land preparation

7. Factor affecting yields of Rice and Wheat
Cropping system
• In many areas, yields have stagnated at below potential level.
• The input use efficiency is low.
• Soil organic matter content has reduced.
• This can be improved by better tillage practices and balanced nutrient management.
Nutrients are being mined and transported long distances and lost permanently for
the sub region. Therefore, agronomic research related to rice-wheat system ecology
and its environment must be directed at enhanced and sustained productivity of this
important cropping system at reduced costs.
• This can only be possible if the planting techniques/ tillage methods of rice or wheat
crops are improved resulting to saving of time, cultivation cost and irrigation water.
Resource conserving technologies (e.g. zero-tillage, reduced tillage, bed planting or
direct seeding of rice) can be helpful in the achievements of major goals.

8. Yield gap (Improved practices and farmer practice) IGP
Crops State Improved
practice (I)
(kg/hectare)
Farmer
practice (F)
(kg/hectare)
Actual yield
(A)
(kg/hectare)
Gap (per cent)
I and F I and A
Wheat Bihar 3651 2905 1783 25.7 104.8
Uttar
Pradesh
4206 3324 2794 26.6 50.5
Rice Bihar 4883 4158 1516 17.4 222.1
Uttar
Pradesh
7050 5200 2187 35.6 222.4
Note: Yield gap was calculated for the years 2002-03 to 2004-05.
Source: Economic Survey 2007-08

9. State
Average actual yield Average potential yield* Yield gap
Rice-
Wheat
Rice Wheat Rice-
Wheat
Rice Wheat Rice-
Wheat
Rice Wheat
Punjab 9.76 5.44 4.32 18.29 10.60 7.69 8.53 5.16 3.37
Haryana 8.22 4.19 4.03 17.87 10.53 7.34 9.65 6.34 3.31
Uttar
Pradesh
5.70 3.01 2.69 17.48 10.34 7.14 11.78 7.33 4.45
Bihar 3.97 2.00 1.97 16.43 9.73 6.70 12.46 7.73 4.73
West
Bengal
5.94 3.65 2.29 13.37 8.07 5.30 7.43 4,42 3.01
IGP 6.72 3.66 3.06 16.70 9.88 6.82 9.98 6.22 3.76
YIELD GAP (ACTUALAND SIMULATED POTENTIAL YIELD) IN IGP
Agarwal et al . 2004
t ha-1

10. TILLAGE
• Manipulation of the soil with tools and implements for
obtaining conditions ideal for seed germination, seedling
establishment and growth of crops is called tillage.
• The purpose of tillage is to prepare a seedbed, break weed,
insect and disease cycles, bury plant residue, incorporate
fertilisers and amendments, break surface crust and fracture
plough pans or hard subsoil horizons(Jones et al 1990)
• Tillage is the agricultural preparation of soil by mechanical
agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and
overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods
using hand tools include shovelling, picking, mattock work,
hoeing, and raking.

11. Method of Tillage
• Zero tillage: In zero tillage, seeds are placed directly in to narrow slits 2-4
cm wide and 4-7 cm deep with a zero till drill. Zero till drill machine has
been developed by the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology,
Pantnagar.
• Reduced/Minimum Tillage: A method aimed at reducing tillage to the
minimum necessary for ensuring a good seedbed, rapid germination,
satisfactory crop stand and favorable growing conditions (Arnon 1972)
• FIRB :For the past one and a half decades or more, efforts have been in
place to popularize FIRBS of planting rice and wheat in the IGP. It is a
system in which the crop is sown on ridges or raised beds of 15-20 cm
height.
• Usually, the bed is 37.5 cm wide with furrow width of 30 cm (total bed size
of 67.5 cm) to accommodate two rows of wheat. Beds of bigger size (90 or
120 cm wide) could also be prepared. The system aims at saving irrigation
water and increasing nutrient-use efficiency.
• Conventional / farmer practices: At present farmer is adopting

12. Bed Planting System/FIRB
In bed planting systems, wheat or other crops are planted on
raised beds.
• Management of irrigation water is improved.
• Bed planting facilitates irrigation before seeding and thus
provides an opportunity for weed control prior to planting.
• Plant stands are better.
• Wheat seed rates are lower.

13. Parameter Zero
Tillage
Reduced
Tillage
Conventional
Tillage
Germination Count (m2) 199.75 194.5 187.59
Plant Height at Harvest (cm) 103.48 96.38 92.91
Fertile tillers (m2) 418.83 411.00 405.33
Spike length (cm) 11.15 10.46 10.67
No. of spikelets per spike 17.48 17.32 17.31
No. of grains per spike 52.92 51.41 50.50
1000-grain weight (gm) 50.34 46.82 44.45
Biological Yield (t ha-1) 18.16 16.58 16.91
Grain Yield (t ha-1) 4.87 4.47 4.53
Straw Yield (t ha-1) 13.29 12.10 12.38
Harvest Index (%) 26.84 27.03 26.80
Response of tillage methods on growth, yield and yield attributes of Wheat
Imran et al.,2013

14. Parameters Tillage technologies (Pooled data over 2 year)
ZT FIRB CT
Yield (t ha-1) 5.25 4.71 5.24
Cost of cultivation (Rs ha-1) 26058 27943 27943
Net return (Rs ha-1) 10187 4734 8214
Cost of production (Rs t-1) 433 531 470
B : C ratio 1.38 1.16 1.29
Effect of tillage methods on wheat productivity and economic parameters
in 2001-02 to 2003-04
Singh and Kumar.(2004)

15. Growth and yield attributes of wheat influenced by different tillage
method
Tillage
practice
Plant
height
(cm)
Effective
tillers m-2
Test
wt.(g)
Grain
yield
tha-1
Biological
yield tha-1
Zero 74.3 379 39.7 3.04 11.94
Conv. 85.3 509 39.2 4.04 14.64
Fresh raised
bed
86.9 534 40.0 4.24 15.61
Permanent
raised bed
86.6 464 39.5 3.80 14.92
SEm± 0.6 6 0.4 0.06 0.37
CD @ 5% 2.2 22 NS 0.21 1.27
Singh et al 2010

16. Yield and yield attributes of wheat is affected by different
tillage management
Treatment Effective
tillers m-2
Spike
length
(cm)
No . of
grains/
spike
Grain
yield
(tha-1)
Straw
yield
(tha-1)
Harvest
index(%)
Zero Tillage 222 10.4 41.6 4.08 6.14 40.08
Conv. Tillage 224 10.2 42.4 4.13 6.02 40.16
ZT with residue 238 10.7 46.8 4.56 6.64 40.79
Bed planting 214 10.6 40.2 3.82 5.69 40.71
SEm± 2.1 0.4 0.34 0.03 0.02 0.5
CD @ 5% 6.4 NS 1.8 0.07 0.04 NS
Jha et al 2010

17. Nutrient management
Principle
1. Match application to crop requirement,
apply when crop is growing fast.
2. Take all possible sources of nutrient into
consideration
3. Take all possible improving yield reducing
nutrient loss measure into consideration!

18. Way to increase N use efficiency
• The number of split can be increased
• Deep placement of N (5-8 cm below) as pellets
• Fertilizers containing NO3-N are inferior to NH4 and
amide-N-containing fertilizers for rice
• Slow-release fertilizers and urea super granules
increase NUE
• Use of pre-incubated
• Use of Neem seed cake

19. Yield and N-use efficiency of wheat as influence by various
treatments
Treatment Grain yield (q/ha) N-use efficiency
kg grains/ha
Nitrogen kg/ha 2001-02 2002-03
N0 23.4 18.3 -
N50 27.7 22.1 8.0
N100 39.4 34.9 16.2
N150 45.2 38.9 14.1
CD 3.0 2.5
Singh et al. 2006

20. Cereal production and fertilizer consumption in India
Year Cereal Production (Tg) Fertilizer consumption (Tg)
Rice Wheat Total N P2O5 K20 Total
1950-51 20.6 6.5 42.4 0.055 0.009 0.006 0.07
1960-61 34.6 11.0 69.3 0.21 0.05 0.03 0.29
1965-66 30.6 10.4 62.4 0.57 0.13 0.08 0.78
1967-68 30.4 11.4 65.9 0.74 0.25 0.11 1.10
1970-71 37.6 16.5 82.9 1.03 0.33 0.17 1.54
1980-81 42.2 23.8 96.6 1.21 0.38 0.17 1.76
1990-91 53.6 36.3 119.0 3.68 1.21 0.62 5.51
1995-96 74.3 55.1 162.1 8.00 3.22 1.33 12.55
2000-01 77.0 62.1 168.1 9.82 2.90 1.55 13.87
2005-06 85.0 69.7 185.7 11.31 4.38 1.67 17.36
2007-08 91.8 69.3 195.2 12.72 5.20 2.41 20.33
2008-09 96.4 78.4 215.6 14.42 5.51 2.64 22.57
Sources: FAI 2009

21. Total uptake of major nutrients by
cereal crops (Kg/tone of produce)
Crop Total Uptake (kg/tone of main produce)
N P2O5 K2O S Ca Mg
Rice 20.0 11.0 30.0 3.0 7.0 3.0
Wheat 25.0 9.0 33.0 4.7 5.3 4.7
Maize 29.9 13.5 32.8
(Source: Fertilizer Statistics 2007-2008, FAI New Delhi)

22. Spikes of wheat as affected by tillage and N levels during two growing seasons.
Year N (kg. ha-1) Tillage
Zero Reduced Conventional Mean
Spikes m-2
2007-08 0 177.1 177.6 186.8 180.5
80 248.3 248.6 233.5 243.5
120 283.6 266.5 251.0 267.0
160 298.7 280.4 273.2 284.1
200 311.1 298.9 291.3 300.4
Mean 263.8 254.4 247.2 255.1
2008-09 0 168.9 171.8 178.5 173.1
80 235.2 237.4 223.1 231.9
120 252.2 254.4 240.0 248.9
160 281.3 270.6 271.6 274.5
200 297.6 284.7 285.4 289.3
Mean 247.1 243.8 239.7 243.5
Mean (2 years) 0 173.0 174.7 182.7 176.8
80 241.8 243.0 228.3 237.7
120 267.9 260.4 245.5 258.0
160 290.0 275.5 272.4 279.3
200 304.4 291.8 288.4 294.8
Mean 255.4 249.1 243.5 249.3
Note: Means followed by same letter or no letter do not differ significantly at 5% level of probability.
Usman et al . 2013

23. Biological yield as affected by tillage and N levels during two growing seasons.
Year N (kg. ha-1) Tillage
Zero Reduced Conventional Mean
Biological Yield
2007-08 0 4528 5944 6352 5608
80 8154 10,214 7918 8762
120 13,583 14,735 14,742 14,353
160 17,596 18,626 18,368 18,197
200 22,403 20,171 20,679 21,084
2008-09 0 4396 5771 6167 5444
80 7917 9917 7688 8507
120 13,188 14,306 14,313 13,935
160 17,083 18,083 17,833 17,667
200 21,750 19,583 20,076 20,470
Mean 12,867 13,532 13,215 13,205
Mean (2 years) 0 4462 5857 6259 5526
80 8035 10,065 7803 8635
120 13,385 14,520 14,527 14,144
160 17,340 18,355 18,101 17,932
200 22,076 19,877 20,378 20,777
Mean 13060 13735 13414 1304
Note: Means followed by same letter or no letter do not differ significantly at 5% level of
probability.
Usman et al. 2013

24. Grain yield as affected by tillage and nitrogen levels during two growing seasons
Year N (kg. ha-1) Tillage
Zero Reduced Conventional Mean
Grain Yield (kg·ha−1)
2007-08 0 1700 2146 2401 2083
80 2869 3443 2805 3039
120 4718 5114 4994 4942
160 6503 6269 6588 6453
200 7459 6609 6670 6912
Mean 4650 4716 4691 4686
2008-09 0 1667 2104 2354 2042
80 2813 3375 2750 2979
120 4625 5014 4896 4845
160 6375 6146 6458 6326
200 7313 6479 6539 6777
Mean 4558 4624 4599 4594
Mean (2 years) 0 1683 2125 2378 2062
80 2841 3409 2778 3009
120 4671 5064 4945 4893
160 6439 6207 6523 6390
200 7386 6544 6604 6845
Mean 4604 4670 4645 4640
Note: Means followed by same letter or no letter do not differ significantly at 5% level
of probability.
Usman et al 2013

25. Net benefit as affected by tillage and N levels during two growing seasons.
Year N (kg. ha-1) Tillage
Zero Reduced Conventional Mean
Net benefit (US$ ha−1)
2007-08 0 209 305 336 283
80 459 586 402 482
120 889 973 913 925
160 1303 1235 1282 1273
200 1518 1301 1286 1368
Mean 876 880 844 866
2008-09 0 248 357 396 333
80 527 671 468 555
120 1011 1106 1044 1054
160 1477 1401 1458 1445
200 1718 1475 1461 1551
Mean 996 1002 965 988
Mean (2 years) 0 228 331 366 308
80 493 628 435 519
120 950 1039 979 990
160 1390 1318 1370 1359
200 1618 1388 1373 1460
Mean 936 941 904 927
Note: Means followed by same letter or no letter do not differ significantly at 5% level of
probability.
Usman et al 2013

26. Mean effects of tillage systems and nutrient management strategies on
grain and total biomass yield ( t ha -1)
Treatments Grain yield
(2010-11)
Total biomass
yield (2010-11)
Grain yield
(2011-12)
Total biomass
yield (2011-12)
Tillage
CT 4.53 b 10.95 b 5.40 a 11.93 a
NT 4.80 a 11.49 5.55 a 12.12 a
Nutrient
management
NE 33:33:33 4.91 b 11.69 a 5.85 a 12.65 a
NE 80:20 4.64 c 11.13 a 5.50 b 12.09 b
NE 80:GS 5.17 a 11.60 a 5.77 a 12.47 ab
SR 4.63 c 11.33 a 5.43 b 11.91 b
FFP 4.31 d 10.60 b 4.98 c 11.26 c
a within a factor, means in the same column followed by different letters are significantly different from one another based
b CT is conventional tillage and NT is no tillage.
c see materials an methods for details of nutrient management treatments
Sources: Sapkota et al 2013

27. Effect of fertilizer N management on yield, total N uptake and
agronomic efficiency (AE) of N in wheat
Treatmenta N management Grain yield
(t/ha)
Straw yield
(t/ha)
Total N uptake
(kg/ha)
AE (kg
grain/kg N)
T1 0-0-0 1.96 2.25 35.3 -
T2 120-0-0 4.37 5.44 90.6 18.7
T3 90-0-30 4.98 6.22 90.2 20.4
T4 60-60-0 4.18 5.21 83.7 17.9
T5 60-30-30 4.29 5.29 88.4 18.8
T6 30-30-60 4.13 5.12 86.3 18.2
T7 90-30-0 5.26 6.83 80.4 21.6
T8 (burnt) 60-60-0 4.09 5.17 89.7 16.8
LSD (0.05) - 0.43 0.58 9.3 2.7
Naresh et al., 2010
Naresh et al., 2010

28. Planting method Bulk density ( g cm-3 )
0-15 cm 15-30 cm 30-45 cm
Happy seeder 1.40 1.45 1.52
Zero tillage 1.44 1.44 1.55
Rotavator 1.53 1.59 1.56
Conventional tillage 1.46 1.62 1.49
Initial bulk density 1.47 1.46 1.44
Effect of methods of planting and N levels on bulk
density of wheat
Meenakshi 2010
•Corresponding values at 15-30 cm depth were higher except zero tillage and happy seeder.
•At 30-45 cm, the values were higher than initial bulk density under all the methods.
• The initial bulk density decreased in the soil profile of soil from 0-15 to 30-45
•The bulk density was same at 0-15 and 15-30 cm in zero tillage but at 30-45 was increased at
harvest.

29. Infiltration rate
(cm min-1)
Happy
seeder
Zero tillage Rotavator Conventional
tillage
5 min 1.3 1.7 1.5 2.2
10 min 3.1 3.4 3.0 4.9
20 min 5.9 5.7 5.1 8.4
30 min 9.0 8.0 7.2 12.3
60 min 13.7 11.4 10.4 15.3
Effect of planting methods and N levels on infiltration rate in wheat
Source: Meenakhi 2010

30. Effect of planting methods and N levels on soil temperature in wheat
Planting
methods
Soil temperature (0C)
22-3-2010 29-03-2010 7-04-2010 12-04-2010
Happy seeder 30.5 28.0 38.5 41.7
Zero tillage 31.4 28.3 39.0 42.0
Rotavator 31.8 28.7 39.6 42.6
Conventional
tillage
31.8 28.5 39.6 43.4
Source: Meenakhi 2010

31. Agronomic
management
practices
Grain
Yield
(kg/ha)
Straw
yield
(kg/ha)
Cost of
cultivation
($/ha)
Net
returns
($/ha)
Gross
returns
($/ha)
Incremen
tal
net
returns
($/ha)
B : C
ratio
T1 3203 4107 333 577 911 — 1.73
T2 3464 4387 347 639 986 62 1.84
T3 3802 4777 364 728 1092 151 1.99
T4 4254 5392 380 830 1210 252 2.18
SEm 49 74 2 13 15 — —
C.D at 5% 139 209 5 38 41 — —
Grain, straw yield and economics of different agronomic
management practices in wheat crop (pooled data of four years)
Singh et al. 2014

32. Yield, fertilizer use and economic comparison between farmers practice (FP) and Nutrient
Expert based recommendation(NEE) in conventionally tilled wheat
Parameter Unit FP NE NE-FP
Grain yield Kg/ha 3504 4436 932***
Fertilizer N Kg/ha 134 141 6**
Fertilizer P2O5 Kg/ha 57 54 -2ns
Fertilizer K20 Kg/ha 13 76 63***
Fertilizer cost INR/ha 2436 2933 496***
1 GRF INR/ha 36804 46742 9938***
***, **, *: significant at <0.001, 0.01, and 0.05 level; ns = not significant; 1 GRF = gross
return above fertilizer cost; Prices (in INR/kg): wheat = 11.20; N =
10.50; P2O5 = 16.22; K2O = 7.50
Kaushik et al 2010

33. Long-term strategies for increasing wheat
production
• Sustainability of rice-wheat system through
– Resource conservation technologies
– Refinement of machines
– Developing tillage specific varieties
– Diversification/intensification
– Water and nutrient use efficiency
– Tackling weeds and pests under new tillage
– Residue management
– Land leveling through laser leveler
• Improving soil health
– Increasing carbon content
– Correction of micro-nutrient deficiencies/toxicity
– Balance use of fertilizers

34. CONCLUSION
• Tillage significantly increase the growth and yield
• Zero tillage practices gives better response then other
tillage practices.
• Fresh raised bed found better growth and grain yield.
• Tillage improve the physical properties of soil.
• Nitrogen application to crop requirement, apply when
crop is growing fast.
• The higher nutrient use efficiency can be obtained with
application of 100 kg/ha.
• Zero tillage with 200 kg/ha dose of nitrogen provide
maximum grain yield.