Effect of Sesbania aculeata as brown manure on grain yield and partial factor productivity of nutrients in dry direct seeded rice-wheat system

Abstract

Abstract Present study was undertaken to assess the scope of Sesbania aculeata as brown manure on grain yield, partial factor productivity of nutrients as well as to cut down the nutritional requirement of direct seeded rice and transplanted rice-wheat system cropping system. Results revealed that puddled transplanted treatment having 100% NPK with Sesbania aculeata recorded highest rice grain yield (4.3 t ha‒1) which was statistically at par to dry direct seeded rice treatment having 100%, 75% and 50% NPK with Sesbania aculeata. The yield of wheat taken after puddled transplanted rice was recorded lower than the wheat grown after direct-seeded rice. System productivity, PFP, AUE, net returns and B: C ratio of DSR-wheat was higher (7.5 t ha‒1, 25 kg grain/kg nutrient applied, 3.3%, USD 870 ha‒1, 1.2) compared to puddle transplanted rice-wheat (7.4 t ha‒1, 24.5 kg grain/kg nutrient applied, 0.6 %, USD 786 ha‒1, 0.9, respectively). The highest B: C ratio (2.4) was recorded in treatment having 50% NPK of recommended dose, which was statistically at par with the treatment having 75% NPK of recommended dose. Interaction effect of nutrient application coupled with crop establishment method revealed that the highest B:C ratio (1.7) was registered also in DSR-wheat system having 75% and 50% NPK of recommended dose.