Effect of integrated organic input management on resource use efficiency in maize - wheat cropping systems in sloping lands of the north-west Himalayas

Abstract

Organic farming in the rainfed hill and mountain agriculture in the recent years has been given great emphasis due to its high prospects for enhancing sustainable crop productivity and resource conservation.A field experiment was conducted for four years (2007-08 to 2010-11) at Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute,Research Farm, Selakui,Dehradun,Uttarakhand on a land having gentle slope (2%) to study the effect of integrated organic input (minimum tillage, organic amendments, vegetative barriers and weed mulch) management on yield, water conservation, erosion control, nutrient cycling, and economics in maize (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system. Wheat equivalent yield increased by 9.0% in treatment (T ) which received 03 organic sources + minimum 4 tillage (MT) + 3 times weedmulches + palmarosa as vegetative barrier compared to inorganic sources + conventional tillage (CT) + panicumas vegetative barriers (T ). 1 Four years average data showed reduction in run off and soil loss by 44.8 and 36.8%, respectively in T treatment compared to inorganic treatment (T ). The dry biomass 4 1 yield of vegetative barriers varied from4.85 to 9.95 q ha-1 in different treatments and panicum gave higher biomass than palmarosa. On an average, T treatment 4 conserved soilmoisture to the extent of 6.13 to 58.3mmforwheat crop compared to inorganic treatments (T1) with the reduction of micro aggregates by 8-9% which increased basic infiltration rate and water use efficiency (WUE). The nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of all major nutrients (NPK) increased by 40.9% in T treatment 4 compared to T treatment. The deep percolation loss of nutrient as determined by 1 nutrient balance equation showed thatmaximumlosswas incurred inT (103 kg ha-1) 1 and minimum in T (11.0 kg ha-1). Though resource conservation was higher in 4 organic treatment but organic farmingwas not found profitable in the initial years as net profit is decreased by 13.0% in T treatment compared to T after four years of 4 1 cropping. Organic input management system requires higher premium price for farmer's acceptance in short termswitching over (lag over) period and can bringmore monetary return by adopting soil conservation measures through organic input management.