On-farm evidence on breaking yield barriers through optimizing wheat cropping system in Indo Gangetic Plain

• Published in: European journal of agronomy 2024-09, Vol.159, p.127256, Article 127256
• Main Authors: Radheshyam, Jat, Shankar Lal, Jat, M.L., Parihar, C.M., Jat, H.S., Singh, A.K., Bijarniya, Deepak, Padhan, Smruti Ranjan, Kadam, Praveen V., Kumar, Manish
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crop diversification; Environmental footprints; Legume inclusion; Water use; Weed dynamics; Zero-tillage
• ISSN: 1161-0301
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127256

The wheat production in the food basket of South Asia has plateaued with threats of environmental sustainability and posing a serious challenge to future food security. For sustainable wheat production in conventional rice-wheat (CTRW) systems under changing climatic scenario, atwo-year on-farm study was conducted. We evaluated system optimization practices (SOP) of legume inclusion with CTR-zero-tillage (ZT) wheat-mungbean (CTR-ZTWMb) and direct seeded rice-ZT wheat-mungbean (DSR-ZTWMb) and triple ZT (raised bed) based futuristic systems of maize-wheat-mungbean (ZTMWMb) and soybean-wheat-mungbean (ZTSWMb). The global warming potential (GWP) of wheat production was significantly reduced by 811 kg CO2 eq/ha (783−861) in the SOP compared to CTRW. Moreover, the water usein wheat reduced by 85.9 and 85.2 ha-mm/ha in CTR-ZTWMb and DSR-ZTWMb with higher reduction in ZTMWMb and ZTSWMb by128.7 and 118.0 ha-mm/ha, respectively over CTRW. Similarly, the total weed density was reduced at 60 (39 and 52 %) and 90 (38 and 49 %) days after sowing with CTR-ZTWMb and DSR-ZTWMb over CTRW. However, the weed density reduction was lesser with ZTSWMb and ZTMWMb at 60 (3.0 and 23.6 %), and 90 (9.8 and 31.0 %) days after sowingcompared to the CTRW.The partial factor productivity (PFP) of NPK applied was 8.5–19.0 % higher under SOP over the CTRW. The use of non-renewable energy in wheat cultivation was reduced by 24.4–28.9 % with SOP over CTRW. The enhancement in wheat grain yield (7.4–11.8 %) and net returns (98–169 US$/ha) was also recorded with CTR-ZTWMb and DSR-ZTWMb and this gain in futuristic systems (ZTMWMb and ZTSWMb) was much higher in grain yield (17.2–21.0 %) as well as in net returns (283 and 362 US$/ha) over CTRW. The adoption of these SOPs on 1 million ha could produce 0.37–1.05 million t additional wheat over CTRW. The on-farm study evidenced thatwheat production with system optimization practices of legume inclusion and zero tillage are better alternatives to achieve higher productivity and profitability with a lesserenvironmental footprint in Indo-Gangetic Plains and similar agroecological regions. [Display omitted] •System optimization practices (SOP) reduced wheat water use by 85.2–128.7 ha-mm/ha.•SOP decreased wheat production GWP by 811 kg CO2 eq/ha.•Weed infestation reduced by 38–52 % in wheat by zero tillage with residue retention.•SOP adoption on 1 million hectares produces 0.37–1.05 million tonnes more wheat.