Growth and Yield of Wheat as Affected by Rice Residue Management and Irrigation Scheduling

A field experiment was conducted in split-plot design to evaluate the effects of various rice residue management methods (residue removal followed by conventional tillage, Happy Seeder, mouldboard plough + rotavator and residue burning followed by conventional tillage) and irrigation scheduling (20%, 30%, and 40% depletion of available moisture, along with the PAU recommended schedule) on the growth and productivity of wheat. The study found that rice residue management methods did not significantly affect crop growth parameters such as plant height, crop biomass, and tiller density. However, irrigation scheduling had a notable effect on crop performance. The PAU recommended schedule, along with 20% and 30% depletion of available moisture, resulted in highest crop growth, more effective tillers, and higher grain yield compared to the 40% moisture depletion level. Plots with residue management exhibited reduced water contribution from the soil profile compared to plots where residue was removed. In nutshell, wheat sown using the Happy Seeder demonstrated improved crop growth along with more efficient utilization of available water resources.