Response of rainfed Indian mustard to different tillage practices and mulching

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2019 at College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur. The experiment included the combination of two soil tillage systems viz., Conventional Tillage (L1) and Minimum Tillage (L2) and four different mulching materials viz., No mulch (M1); Rice straw mulch (M2); Polythene mulch (M3) and Tree leave mulch (M4). The Experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with different levels of tillage (main plot), and mulching materials (subplot) and each treatment were replicated thrice. The growth and yield of Indian mustard were influenced by different tillage practices and mulching. Maximum plant height (165.33 cm.), number of siliquae per plant (197) and seed yield (1790 kg/ha ) and oil yield (692 kg/ha) were recorded in a combination of (L1M3) which received in Conventional tillage + Polythene mulch and minimum seed yield was recorded in a combination of (L2M1) 1441 kg/ha which received in Minimum tillage + No mulch. Maximum harvest index was recorded in a combination of (L1M2) 27.50% which was received in Conventional tillage +Rice straw mulch and minimum harvest index was recorded in a combination of (L1M4) 24.13% which was received in Conventional tillage + Tree leaves to mulch. The highest benefit-cost ratio (0.72) was recorded in Minimum tillage + Rice straw mulch because there was less input cost for tillage or ploughing activities and mulching material cost. The highest energy use efficiency, and energy productivity but lowest specific energy was observed in Minimum tillage with No mulch and energy use efficiency, and energy productivity but highest specific energy was observed in Minimum tillage with Rice straw mulch.