Response of Zero Tillage Technique on Wheat Production in the Middle Indo-Gangetic Plains of Nalanda
The present study was conducted to compare the response of the zero tillage method and the traditional wheat production method to different growth, yield and economic parameters in the Bihar district of the Middle Indo-Gangetic Plains of Nalanda. The research was conducted during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Rabi seasons. For the research, 14 farmers were picked, 7 of whom sowed with a zero tillage machine and 7 adopted the method of broadcasting. Four observations were taken from each plot, so a total of 56 observations for both methods were taken. The results showed that the Zero Tillage (ZT) method (83.07±128 cm) followed by the broadcasting method (79.57±187 cm) showed a greater mean plant height, which indicates a substantial difference. The ZT method (556.57±21.28) reported a substantially higher mean number of tillers per square metre as opposed to the broadcast method (501.07±13.48). Compared to the broadcast method (11.03±0.22 cm), the mean spike length was slightly higher in the case of the ZT method (11.96±0.53 cm). In the ZT method (45.42±0.93), a slightly higher mean number of grains per spike was observed compared to the broadcast method (42.46±1.03). In the ZT method (42.07±0.61), a significantly higher mean 1000-grain weight (g) was reported compared to the broadcast method (40.03±0.67). The grain yield (tonnes/ha) difference between ZT (3.82±0.03) and the broadcasting system (3.68±0.04) was highly important. In all the economic parameters between ZT and the broadcast system, there were also very significant differences reported. Growth costs (Rs. /ha), gross monetary return (Rs. /ha), net monetary return (Rs. /ha) and BCR are 37564±289, 70657±620, 33093±677 and 1.88±0.02 for the ZT process. 40427±256, 68087±728, 27659±759 and 1.68±0.02 are the corresponding values for the broadcasting method. It is concluded from the two-year farm research study that the Zero tillage technique of wheat cultivation is cost saving, more remunerative with timely sowing, and helpful for areas where paddy straw burning after paddy harvesting is common. This technique can be advocated for large-scale adoption among farmers in Bihar and other middle Indo-Gangetic Plain regions. Please see the link :- https://www.journalcjast.com/index.php/CJAST/article/view/30974 [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]