Response of different wheat genotypes to tillage operations under flood based farming system

Abstract

Flood based irrigation is a unique system practiced in the foothill plains of Suliaman ranges of western mountains of Pakistan.. In the current research, effect of tillage practices on the soil characteristics, different wheat genotypes and their attributes along with farmer economics were studied. The field trial was conducted at a farmers field with randomized complete block design with split plot sequence having genotypes in the main plots while tillage operation in the sub – plots. Three wheat genotypes including two improved varieties i.e. Pirsabak – 15 and Fateh Jhang and a single landrace were sown. Tillage operations included deep plough, conventional tillage, mulch tillage and zero – tillage. The results showed that soil tillage significantly influenced the physico – chemical characteristics of soils. The interaction between genotype and tillage also exhibited significant effect except for soil pH and total soil nitrogen. The agronomic parameters showed significant effect of both varities, tillage practices and their interaction except for total biomass. The grain protein content showed significantly higher total protein (13.61%) in the landrace as compared with the improved varieties. The BCR calculated at the harvest of the experiment showed that 3.86 for the local landrace with deep plough and the least was observed 2.96 in the improved variety (Fateh Jhang) on zero tillage plots. It may be concluded from the results that improved variety (Pirsabak) gave better result in term of yield. Landrace also showed a good response to tillage.