Nutrient uptake and economics of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj and Cosson] as influenced by tillage and irrigation frequency

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2014-15 at Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (India) to study the effect of tillage and irrigation frequency on productivity of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj and Cosson]. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. The main plot treatment consisted three tillage practices viz. Zero tillage, Reduced tillage (2 harrowing + 1 planking), Conventional tillage (1 deep ploughing with disc + 2 harrowing + 1 planking), whereas four levels of irrigations i.e.No irrigation, One irrigation (35 DAS), Two irrigations (35 DAS + 60 DAS), Three irrigations (35 DAS + 60 DAS + 90 DAS) were allocated to sub-plots. The tillage operations thus had positive effect on the nutrient uptake by the crop thereby recording a total of 142 kg NPK uptake under conventional tillage. Similarly increasing the frequency of irrigations recorded the highest nutrient uptake accounting for a total 135.4 kg NPK with application of three irrigations. As regards to the profitability, conventional tillage remained superior as compared to reduced tillage, recorded significantly higher Benefit: Cost ratio (3.14).Further, it can be also concluded Benefit: Cost ratio improved with increasing irrigation frequency up to three irrigations. However, application of two irrigations to the crop remained comparable with application of three irrigations.