Productivity,Profitability and sustainability of wheat as influenced by water management practices in Chambal command of Rajasthan.

Abstract

On farm experiment was conducted at farmer’s field of Kota and Bundi districts under operational research programme (ORP), Agricultural Research Station, Kota (Rajasthan) during five consecutive years (2005-06 to 2009-10) to assess the impact of improved water management practices for enhancing crop and water productivity of wheat crop in Chambal Command Area. Treatments comprised of irrigations scheduling at crown root initiation (CRI), late tillering, flowering and milk stages by border strip (6 m x 50 m) method using 80 per cent cut off ratio (improved water management technology) which was compared with farmer’s practice i.e. wild flooding. Results revealed that improved water management technology gave higher and sustainable yield of wheat over the years. The mean grain yield recorded (47.3 q/ha) being 7.0 per cent higher as compared to the grain yield (44.25 q/ha) observed in farmers practice. Sustainability of wheat yield reflected by the higher pooled sustainability yield index and value index i.e. 0.803 and 0.675, respectively. Improved water management technology possess higher mean water expanse efficiency (139.0 kg/ha/cm) and incremental benefit cost ratio (5.0)