Khokan Kumer Sarker
Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management (IWM) Division, BARI, Gazipur-1701
P. K. SARKAR
Chief Scientific Officer
IWM Division, BARI, Gazipur
A. Z. SARKER
Principal Scientific Officer,
WRC, BARI, Nashipur, Dinajpur
A. M. F. T. ISLAM
Scientific Officer
BARI, Gazipur-1701
Conservation tillage system offers numerous benefits over intensive tillage system. This experiment was conducted on conservation tillage using zero till drill, power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) and bed planter along with farmer’s practice of tillage by rotary tiller under different irrigation levels at Wheat Research Centre, Dinajpur. Irrigation water was applied by 5 irrigation levels at different growth stages of the crop. The irrigation levels were I0 (No irrigation), I1(17-21 DAS), I2(17-21+50-55 DAS), I3(17-21+50-55+75-80 DAS), and I4(17-21+35-40+50-55+75–80 DAS). It was observed that the sowing cost was reasonably reduced than that of the farmer's practice. Seasonal water use was less in PTOS than other tillage methods. Grain yield was significantly affected by tillage methods. The higher grain yield was found from PTOS, bed planting, and zero tillage than that of farmer's practice. The effect of irrigation level was found significantly on grain yield. Water use efficiency increased with decrease of irrigation water use and decreased with increase of irrigation. Average yields in all tillage methods under I1, I2, I3, and I4 irrigation levels were found to increase by 33, 43, 52, and 51 percent, respectively, compared to that of I0.
Conservation, tillage, zero till-drill, PTOS, bed planting, irrigation and water
Wheat Research Centre, Nashipur, Dinajpur
Crop-Soil-Water Management
The specific objectives were to:
(i) compare the sowing cost for different tillage methods;
(ii) determine the seasonal water use in different tillage;
(iii) determine the effects of tillage and irrigation water on crop yield.
The field experiment was laid out in 2008-09 at WRC, Dinajpur using strip plots with three replications. Unit plot size was 25 m2. Treatment was conducted in zero-tillage, bed planting, power tiller operated seeder (PTOS), and farmer’s practice under different irrigation levels. Treatment combination comprised 5 levels of irrigation during wheat growth stages at I0 (No irrigation), I1 (17-21 DAS), I2 (17-21+50-55 DAS), I3 (17-21+50-55+75-80 DAS), and I4 (17-21+35-40+50-55+75–80 DAS). Water use efficiency was used in evaluating the yield performance and water management practices. A high yielding variety (BARI Gom–23) was sown on 28 November 2008 with the help of zero till- drill (Fig. 1), Bed former (Fig. 2), PTOS (Fig. 3), and farmer's practice (Fig. 4) at the rate of 120 kg/ha. Seeding was done without land preparation by zero till-drill. Bed was formed and seeding was done without prior land preparation. Bed was formed two rows accommodating for wheat. Furrow to furrow was 55-56cm. Bed height was 12–13cm. Ploughing, seeding, and leveling were done through one pass full tillage by PTOS. Tractor operated rotavator was used in farmer's practice for broadcast sowing. Fertilizers were applied at the rate of N100 + P26 + K40 + S20 + B1 kg/ha. Two–thirds of N and total amount of other fertilizers were applied at sowing and the remaining N was top dressed after first irrigation. Weeding was done at 25-27 DAS by 2-4-D amine @ 1200 ml/ha. At maturity, two samples of each plot in 2 m2 for zero till-drill, PTOS, farmer's practices, and 2x 1.1 square meter for bed planting on 27 March 2009 were harvested. After threshed and cleaned, grain yields were recorded at 12% moisture content. Data were subjected to analysis of variance to sort out significant difference among treatments.
Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 37(1): 27-37,2012 and IWM Annual Report, BARI
Based on this short-term study, results supported the agronomic requirements. The sowing cost of wheat could be reduced up to 47, 56, and 58 % by bed planting, PTOS, and zero tillage than conventional practice, respectively. There was no significant difference within the interaction effect of tillage methods and irrigations. About 10 percent seasonal water use was less in PTOS than farmers’ practice. The grain yield in that situation was higher from PTOS, bed planting and zero tillage than farmer's practice. On average, 13, 6, and 7% grain yields were found higher from PTOS, zero tillage and bed planting than farmer’s practice, respectively. The effect of irrigation level was found highly significant. Average 33, 43, 52, and 51% yields were increased under I1, I2, I3, and I4 irrigation levels, respectively.
Journal, Report/Proceedings