Wheat is a cereal crop of
immense importance to us, and the demand is fulfilled at the cost of soil poisoning
and contamination through a number of pesticides, herbicides and excess of
fertilizers. Zero tillage has become popular among the progressive farmers and
serves as an economical method to conserve soil moisture, nutrients and labor
force. Mulching on the other hand has benefits of conserving moisture in the
field and others.
Adaptive Research Farms,
Gujranwala, Pakistan have published a three year field experiment study to evaluate
the possible merits of rice mulching in the zero tillage wheat fields. The outcome
of the study are very promising and can be put to practical use. The research
group evaluated that rice mulching in the field not only has its own merits but
it also checks the weed growing in the field as well as improves the available
phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the field.
The study was conducted
over a period of 3 successive seasons (2008-2011) at the Adaptive Research
Farms, Gujranwala in the field plots of 8 x 25 m size. The seed was planted by
the common zero-till wheat drill having 15 cm row to row distance during the second
week of November each season. The seeds were planted in the good moisture soil;
NPK fertilizers were also applied. Nitrogen was applied in three doses. Manually
harvest rice straw was chopped and applied in the treatments at 7.5, 10, 12.5,
15, 17.5 and 20.0 t/ha, the control group was without rice straw mulching. All
other organic practices were performed and kept uniform in all treatments.
RESULTS
The outcomes of this study
revealed that the rice mulching increased the available P and K in the plants
and had no effect on the N; increase the soil organic matter significantly and
lowered the pH of the soil. Minimum weed count (for both narrow and broad
leaved weeds) was observed with the increasing amount of rice mulch; moreover, dry
weed biomass also reduced. Population of wheat plants also decreased with
increasing amount of rice straw mulch but number of tillers per m2,
grains per spike, 1000 grain weight and grain yield was significantly higher in
the treated plots as compared to the control plot. Maximum grain yield (4.58
t/ha) was obtained for 15.0 t/ha treatment followed by 17.5 t/ha treatment.
CONCLUSION
In the light of the above results,
it can be concluded that rice straw can be used as an alternate in the
integrated weed management program, as well as soil fertility supplement and
bio-weedicide.
