Abstract

11.Growth and Productivity of Wheat as Influenced by Tillage Methods, Mulch and Graded Nitrogen Levels in Chitwan, Nepal
Dhan Bahadur Thapa, Birendra Kumar Bhattachan, Subash Subedi, Jiban Shrestha, Shrawan Kumar Sah, Santosh Marahatta
A field experiment was carried out to assess the growth and productivity of wheat as influenced by the tillage methods, mulch and graded nitrogen levels at the Agronomy Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur during winter season of 2015/2016. The experiment was laid out in strip split plot design comprising tillage methods (zero tillage and conventional tillage) and mulch (mulch and no mulch) as horizontal and vertical factors, respectively and nitrogen levels as sub-sub plot factor (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1). The highest grain yield (3.58 t ha-1) was obtained with 100 kg ha-1 N followed by 150 kg ha-1 N (3.45 t ha-1), 50 kg ha-1 N (3.14 t ha-1) kg ha-1 N and 0 kg ha-1 N (1.91 t ha-1). Grain yield (2.95 t ha-1) under zero tillage was similar to conventional tillage (3.1 t ha-1). Mulched crop (3.11 t ha-1) had slightly higher grain yield than no mulched crop (2.94 t ha-1). Economic analysis indicated that the highest gross net return (NRs. 40,800 ha-1) and BCR (1.733) were observed with the application of nitrogen level of 100 kg ha-1. Higher net return was observed in zero tillage (NRs. 29,000.00 ha-1) than conventional tillage (NRs. 26,500 ha-1). Physical and economical doses of nitrogen were calculated as 100.6 and 94.1 kg ha-1 for zero tillage with mulch and 127.4 and 119.4 kg ha-1, respectively for zero tillage without mulch. Similarly, physical and economical doses of nitrogen for conventional tillage with mulch were 101.6 and 96.8 kg ha-1 and for conventional without mulch were 128.1 and 121.6 kg ha-1, respectively.