Effect of crop establishment methods and irrigation scheduling (WUE) on performance of wheat in North Bihar (Triticum aestivum L.)

An experiment with four establishment methods (E₁ - Conventional tillage, E₂ - Zero tillage, E₃-Bed planting and E₄-System of wheat intensification method) in the main plots and four levels of irrigation (I₁ - 3 irrigations at 20, 50 and 80 DAS, I₂ - 4 irrigations at 20, 40, 70 and 90 DAS, I₃ - 5 irrigations at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 DAS and I₄ - IW/CPE ratio 1.0) in the sub plots was conducted at Dr. R. P. C. A.U. research farm, Pusa during rabi 2011-12 in split plot design with three replications. The results showed that the growth characters like number of tillers/m², LAI, dry matter accumulation, CGR, panicles/m², WUE, no. of grains/panicle, 1000 grain weight, gross and net return were higher under conventional tillage (CT) as compared to Bed planting and SWI methods. The maximum B: C ratio was obtained with zero tillage (ZT). The maximum WUE was recorded with 3 irrigations. Grain yield, WUE, gross return, net return and B: C ratio were positively influenced by interaction between establishment methods and irrigation levels. However, the maximum Benefit: Cost ratio of 1.98 with net return of 35973 ₹ /ha was fetched with Zero tillage at irrigation level I₁ receiving 3 irrigations.