Effect of tillage and nutrient management practices on growth and yield of safflower after kharif rice

A field experiment was carried out during rabi, 2023 at College farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, to study the effect of tillage and nutrient management practices on the growth and yield of safflower after kharif rice. The experiment was laid out in split plot design which was replicated thrice with two main plots and seven sub plots. Main plots included were viz., M₁: Conventional tillage (Cultivator + Rotovator); M₂: Zero-tillage (sowing by dibbling). Sub plots included were N₁: 100% RDF (40-40-20 kg N-P₂O₅-K₂O ha^-1); N₂:100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 20 kg ha^-1; N₃:100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 40 kg ha^-1; N₄: 100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Zinc sulphate @ 20 kg ha^-1; N₅:100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Zinc sulphate @ 40 kg ha^-1; N₆: 100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 40 kg ha^-1 + Zinc sulphate @ 20 kg ha^-1; N₇: 100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 40 kg ha^-1 + Zinc sulphate @ 40 kg ha^-1. The results revealed that among tillage methods conventional tillage has shown significantly higher plant height (84.3 cm), number of branches plant^-1 (18.1), dry matter production (5195 kg ha^-1), number of capitula plant^-1 (22.6), number of seeds capitulum^-1 (23.4), seed yield (1845 kg ha^-1) and stalk yield (3959 kg ha^-1). Application of 100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 40 kg ha^-1 + Zinc sulphate @ 40 kg ha^-1 has resulted in higher plant height (95.1 cm), number of branches plant^-1 (21.5), dry matter production (6112 kg ha^-1), number of capitula plant^-1 (28.0), number of seeds capitulum^-1 (27.2), grain yield (6467 kg ha^-1) and stalk yield (4547 kg ha^-1), and it is on par with 100% RDF + Elemental Sulphur @ 40 kg ha^-1 + Zinc sulphate @ 20 kg ha^-1.