Conservation Agriculture protocols alleviating adversity of tillage and burning stubble induced soil physico-chemical anomalies in sustainable wheat production under rice-wheat system

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Sahasrantika Ghosh 1
Amal Ghosh 2
1 Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.
2 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
Abstract
Conventional tillage and crop stubble burning are usual practices across the rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) in India. These could aggravate soil sickness, threatening food and environmental safety. Thus, the main aim of this study was to establish improved crop management following the Conservation Agriculture (CA). Accordingly, the objectives to determine prospects of CA protocols (a) zero tillage and (b) retention of crop stubbles were studied in the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi from 2022 to 2025. Six treatments - retention of crop stubbles (+ CS) at zero tillage (ZT+ CS), minimum tillage raised bed (RB+ CS) and conventional tillage (CT+ CS) stands were compared with burning crop stubbles (- CS) at corresponding tillage stands (ZT-CS, RB-CS and CT-CS). Results showed higher soil porosity (39.45%), soil organic carbon (SOC) (0.360 %), available soil moisture (12.78%), residual N, P and K (272.6, 18.36 and 254.8 kg ha-1) content, root mass density (14.75 mg cm -3) and root volume density (6.1 x 10-3 cm3 cm- 3) at (ZT+CS) stands. This stand also recorded higher wheat productivity (5.64-5.94 t ha-1) throughout all the years, which was statistically significant than other stands (RB+ CS) and (CT+CS). While grain yields declined to 5.56-5.65 t ha-1 at (ZT-CS), 5.53-5.57 t ha-1 at (RB-CS), and 5.24-5.25 t ha-1 at (CT-CS) stands. Therefore, implications of the study may envisage the stewardship of CA that does not incur additional cost of production. Thus, farmers could be advocated for transitioning from conventional farming to CA-based farming for sustainable wheat production.


 

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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 February 2026