2024, Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part G

author(s)
Manpreet Jaidka, Amandeep Singh Brar and Harkanwaljot Singh

abstract
Prevalence of puddle transplanted rice (PTR) in the Indo-Gangetic plains not only poses threat to soil structure, increased water requirement, dependence on farm labour but also increases cost of cultivation in comparison to direct seeded rice (DSR). At the same time, burning of rice residue followed by cultivation of wheat crop also gives rise ecological and sustainability challenges in the intensive agriculture production system. Current experiment was conducted by PAU Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Budh Singh Wala, district Moga in the adopted village under national innovations in climate resilient agriculture (NICRA) project. The experiment was replicated four times with six treatments viz. T₁- DSR fb Conventional sown wheat, T₂- DSR fb Surface seeding of wheat, T₃- DSR fb Happy seeder sown wheat, T₄- PTR fb Conventionally sown wheat, T₅- PTR fb Surface seeding of wheat, T₆- PTR fb Happy seeder sown wheat. Results of the experiment showed that paddy crop in DSR (134 days) was harvested 6 days prior to the PTR (140 days). In surface seeding and happy seeder technology after DSR and PTR, wheat crop was sown 5-6 days earlier in comparison to conventional tillage. Highest number of ears was recorded in conventional cultivation of wheat after both DSR and PTR which was significantly higher than happy seeder techniques but statistically at par with surface seeding of wheat. Significantly higher 1000 grain weight was recorded in surface seeding and happy seeder after both DSR and PTR than conventional cultivation. Similarly, surface seeding and happy seeder technologies recorded significantly higher grain yield in contrast to conventional tillage. Highest production efficiency was recorded by surface seeding after DSR (44.40 kg/ha/day) which was statistically at par with happy seeder (44.33 kg/ha/day) and conventional tillage (44.37 kg/ha/day) after DSR but achieved the level of significance than all the treatments after PTR. Surface seeding after DSR and PTR recorded highest net returns and B:C which was significantly higher than conventional cultivation but statistically at par with happy seeder technology. The path analysis showed that highest positive phenotypic direct effect was exhibited by 1000 grain weight (0.328) followed by duration of wheat crop (0.206). Highly positive genotypic direct effect was exhibited by 1000 grain weight (0.618) followed by duration of wheat crop (0.241).