Effect of tillage practices and Pusa hydrogel on yield and economics of maize (Zea mays L.)

摘要

A field experiment was carried out during kharif 2018 at Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna (M.P). To study the effect of Pusa hydrogel and tillage on maize. The study comprised of 4 tillage practices Conventionaltillage (CT), CT + Mulching, Zero tillage (ZT) and ZT + residue @ 4 t/ha and three doses of Pusa hydrogel (0, 2.5 and 5.0 kg/ha) using split plot design with replication. Results of the study revealed that yield attributes viz. number of grains row/cob,number of grains/row, grains/cob and grains weight/cob were found numerically superior under conventional tillage. While, cobs/plant was found conspicuous more under zero tillage+ residue @ 4t/ha however, cob length was measured higher under zero tillage and shelling percent was found greater under conventional tillage + mulching practices. Grain yield was recorded conspicuous higher in CT + mulching (3393 kg/ha) followed by ZT (3240 kg/ha). The net returns were significantly higher 7.15, 14.6 and 16.95 under ZT over Conventional tillage, Conventional tillage + Mulching and Zero tillage + residues, respectively. Application of pusa hydrogel @ 2.5 kg/ ha produced markedly higher yield attributes viz., cobs/plant, number of grain rows/cob, number ofgrains/row and grains/cob while, cob length, grains weight/cob and shelling percent were numerically higher under pusa hydrogel @ 5 kg/ha. Grain yield of maize (3377 kg/ha) was recorded significantly superior under Pusa hydrogel @ 5 kg/ha followed by 2.5kg/ha (3310 kg/ha) than control. This gave 8.90 and 6.73 more than control respectively. The net returns recorded significantly higher in Pusa hydrogel @ 2.5 kg/ha (41968/ha) which was higher by 3.54 over control and 2.45 than pusa hydrogel @ 5.0 kg/ha.