Nitrogen Effects on Productivity and Soil Properties in Conventional and Zero Tilled Wheat with Different Residue Management

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India. Section B: Biological sciences Vol. 89; no. 1; pp. 123 - 135
• Main Authors: Nath, Chaitanya Prasad, Das, Tapas Kumar, Bhattacharyya, Ranjan, Pathak, Himanshu, Paul, Sangeeta, Chakraborty, Debashis, Hazra, Kali Krishna
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 04.03.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; conventional tillage; Fluorescein diacetate; grain yield; Immobilization; Life Sciences; Management; microbial biomass; Mineralization; nitrogen; no-tillage; Nucleic Acid Chemistry; nutrient use efficiency; Plant Biochemistry; Research Article; soil aggregation; soil microorganisms; Soil properties; Sustainable yield; Tillage; Urease; Weed control; weeds; wheat; Herbicides; Carbon pools; Crop residue; Soil enzymes; Tillage; Soil aggregation; Nitrogen; Wheat
• ISSN: 0369-8211; 2250-1746
• DOI: 10.1007/s40011-017-0919-z

Changes in tillage regime from conventional tillage to zero tillage (ZT) call for efficient weed and N management. Nitrogen is subject to immobilization/mineralization under residue-laden ZT system and increasing N-use efficiency through scheduling/rationalization of N is a researchable issue. The authors investigated the N and weed management options for wheat under ZT with or without residue. Results showed that ZT + residue retention (R) + 75% N + GreenSeeker™ (GS)-aided N management (ZT + R+75N + GS) recorded significantly higher wheat yield (5.11 t ha −1 ) over CT − R + 100N (4.48 t ha −1 ). The ZT + R+75N + GS improved macro-aggregates by 25.3% and decreased micro-aggregates by 6.8% in surface soil than CT − R + 100N. Treatment ZT + R+75N + GS had highest labile C (~ 3.63 g C kg −1 soil), which was 24.7% higher than CT − R + 100N (2.91 g C kg −1 soil). This treatment resulted in highest microbial biomass C (148.6 µg g −1 soil). It showed a significant increment in fluorescein diacetate (by 30.9%), total phosphatase (by 63.2%) and urease (by 31.6%) activities in surface soil over CT − R + 100N. Optical sensor-based N management saved N to the tune of 15–20 kg ha −1 over CT − R + 100 N. The ZT with residue retention and GS-aided N management has greater potential to secure sustainable yield, better soil aggregation, labile C and soil micro-flora than CT without/with residue incorporation.