Evaluation of conservation agriculture practices for radiation interception and biophysical properties in rice-mustard cropping system

摘要

A study was conducted to know the effects of conservation agriculture on solar radiation interception and radiation use efficiency and its relationship with growth, biomass accumulation, harvest index and yield of rice-mustard cropping system. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) - mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cropping system was followed during the year 2014-15 with eight different treatments each following randomised block design. Weather parameters, photosynthetically active radiation, leaf area index, biomass accumulation, harvest index and yield were recorded at the regular intervals for this cropping system. Results showed treatment 8 (transplanted rice followed by conventional till mustard) having maximum LAI (leaf area index), biomass accumulation and RUE (radiation use efficiency). However, maximum harvest index was shown by conservation treatment 6 (mung bean residue incorporated zero tillage direct seeded rice followed by rice residue incorporated zero tillage mustard). In mustard, treatment 6 showed maximum fIPAR (fractional intercepted photosynthetically active radiation), RUE, LAI, biomass accumulation, yield and harvest index. Thus, conservation agricultural practices showed significant amount of positive effects on radiation interception, radiation use efficiency, growth and yield in follow up crop mustard but did not have any appreciable effects in case of rice.