Evaluation of agrotechniques for enhancing grain yield and economic returns of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Chhattisgarh plains

Introduction Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crops of the world and plays a major role in global food and nutritional security. Bread wheat is the predominant cultivated species in India owing to its high yield potential, wide adaptability and good grain quality. Globally, wheat is cultivated on about 221 million hectares, producing 789.6 million tonnes with an average productivity of 3779 kg ha -1 (FAO, 2024) [3] . Delayed sowing is a major constraint to wheat productivity, particularly in rice-wheat cropping systems, due to late harvesting of preceding rice, inadequate field preparation and unfavourable weather conditions. Under such situations, efficient crop establishment and resource utilization through improved sowing methods are essential. Criss-cross sowing can improve plant distribution and productive tillers per unit area, while furrow-irrigated raised-bed (FIRB) planting can enhance water-use efficiency and crop productivity. FIRB systems have been reported to save about 20-50 per cent irrigation water in wheat (Hobbs and Gupta, 2003) [6] . Nutrient management is equally important for achieving higher wheat productivity. Foliar application of balanced water-soluble NPK (19:19:19) can provide nutrients rapidly during critical growth stages and support photosynthetic activity, tiller development and grain filling. Thus, integration of improved sowing geometry with efficient nutrient management may enhance productivity and profitability of wheat, particularly under irrigated conditions. Soil test-based nutrient management involves the application of fertilizers according to soil nutrient status and crop demand, which ensures balanced and efficient nutrient supply to wheat crop. This approach improves nutrient use efficiency, enhances crop growth, yield attributes, and grain productivity.

Material and Methods

The experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Instructional cum Research Farm, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (C.G.). Climate of the region is sub-humid with hot summer and cold winter with an average annual rainfall 1267 mm. The soil of experimental field was clayey (Vertisols), neutral in reaction (pH 7.1), medium in organic carbon (0.61%) and low in available nitrogen (222.7 kg ha -1 ), medium in available phosphorus (13.8 kg ha -1 ) and high in available potassium (373.2 kg ha -1 ). The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with tweleve treatments, replicated trice. Treatment comprised herbicides viz., Flat bed normal sowing + STB nutrients (NPK), Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients, Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + seed treatment with PSB & Azotobacter, Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + seed treatment with PSB and Azotobacter, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + Bio-enriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 , Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + Bio-enriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 , Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1%, Raised bed sowing +STB nutrient + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1%, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + 150% of STB nutrients, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + 150% of STB nutrients + Growth retardant (Cycocel 0.2%), Flat bed normal sowing + RDF (120:60:40 Kg NPK ha -1 ) (Standard Check). Sowing was done manually using 120 kg ha -1 seeds of CG-1029 cultivar in rows of 20 cm in line sowing, 20 × 20 cm row in criss-cross. NPK applied through the soil test based in the form of urea, single superphosphate (SSP) and muriate of potash (MOP), respectively as basal dose of SSP and MOP but 2 split dose of urea. Influence of above mentioned treatments on wheat was studied for seed yields and economics of wheat. Yield of wheat and economics were computed and analyzed statistically using F-test, the procedure given by Gomez and Gomez (1984) [4] . Critical difference (CD) values at P=0.05 were used to determine the significance of mean differences of treatments.

The gross return in rupees per hectare was calculated separately for each treatment by converting seed yield and seed rate on the basis of prevailing prices of market.

• Net return of crop was obtained by deducting cost of cultivation from gross return.

B: C ratio

The B: C ratio was worked out by using the following formula (as described by Reddy & Reddy) [11] .

Result and Discussion

Significantly the highest grain yield (4636 kg ha -1 and 4874 kg ha - -Line sowing + RDF, respectively. Higher grain yield under these treatments may be attributed to better crop establishment and spatial distribution under criss cross sowing, along with improved nutrient availability through enhanced nutrient application and foliar nutrition, which might have promoted better yield attributes and efficient partitioning of assimilates towards grain formation. Increased grain yield due to soil test based fertilizer application was also reported by Singh et al. (2020) [12] and Kumari et al. (2022) [9] . Similarly enhanced grain yield due to foliar nutrition of 19:19:19 was reported by Jat et al. (2019) [7] , Ninama et al. (2023) [10] . Increased grain yield due to application of bio enriched Vermicompost or FYM was also reported by Singh (2019) [13] and Bhargava et al. (2025) [1] . On mean basis, the highest cost of cultivation was recorded under T 9 -Raised bed sowing +STB nutrient + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1% (32.228 Rs ha -1 ), followed by T 7 -Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + Bio-enriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 (Rs. ), which remained statistically at par with T 1 -Flat sowing + soil test-based nutrients (Rs. 97,243 ha -1 ) and T 3 -Raised bed + soil test-based nutrients (Rs. 1,05,107 ha -1 ). Compared with the standard check, T 8 , T 10 and T 11 recorded 46.83, 43.43 and 42.73 per cent higher mean gross return, respectively. On the basis of mean analysis of two years data, T 8 recorded the highest mean net return (Rs. 1,05,368 ha -1 ), which was statistically at par with T 10 -Criss cross sowing + 150% soil test-based nutrients (Rs. 1,03,376 ha -1 ), T 11 -Criss cross sowing + 150% soil test-based nutrients + growth retardant CCC (Rs. 1,01,471 ha -1 ) and T 6 -Criss cross sowing + soil test-based nutrients + bio-enriched vermicompost (Rs. 94,649 ha -1 ). The lowest mean net return was recorded under T 12 (Rs. 65,511 ha -1 ), which remained statistically at par with T 1 -Flat sowing + soil test-based nutrients (Rs. 70,817 ha -1 ) and T 3 -Raised bed + soil test-based nutrients (Rs. 76,554 ha -1 ). Compared with the standard check, T 8 , T 10 and T 11 recorded 60.84, 57.80 and 54.89 per cent higher mean net return, respectively. On the basis of mean analysis, T 10 recorded the highest benefit: cost ratio (4.47), which was statistically at par with T 8 -Criss cross sowing + soil test-based nutrients + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK@ 1% (4.41), T 11 -Criss cross sowing + 150% soil test-based nutrients + growth retardant CCC (4.27) and T 6 -Criss cross sowing + soil test-based nutrients + bio-enriched vermicompost (4.16). The lowest mean benefit: cost ratio was recorded under T 12 (3.40), which remained statistically at par with T 1 -Flat sowing + soil test-based nutrients (3.67) and T 3 -Raised bed + soil test-based nutrients (3.67). Compared with the standard check, T 8 , T 10 and T 11 recorded 29.71, 31.47 and 25.59 per cent higher mean benefit: cost ratio, respectively. The superiority of T 8 in terms of gross and net returns demonstrates that integration of improved crop establishment with balanced nutrient management and foliar nutrient supplementation enhanced crop productivity and profitability over the standard cultivation practice. The statistically comparable economic performance of T 10 , T 11 and T 6 further indicated that improved nutrient availability through soil test-based nutrient management, higher nutrient application and organic nutrient supplementation could enhance economic efficiency. The higher benefit: cost ratio under T 10 was mainly associated with its high gross return coupled with comparatively lower cost of cultivation than T 8 . Similar findings have also been reported by Halford and Singh (2022) [5] , Singh et al. (2020) [12] , Jat et al. (2019) [7] , Kumar et al. (2019) [8] and Choudhary et al. (2013) [2] . -Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + seed treatment with PSB & Azotobacter, T5-Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + seed treatment with PSB and Azotobacter, T6-Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + Bio-enriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 , T7-Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + Bio-enriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 , T8-Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1%, T9-Raised bed sowing +STB nutrient + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1%, T10-Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + 150% of STB nutrients, T11-Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + 150% of STB nutrients + Growth retardant (Cycocel 0.2%), T12-Flat bed normal sowing + RDF (120:60:40 Kg NPK ha -1 ) (Standard Check).

Conclusion

Criss cross combination of soil test based nutrients with 19:19:19 NPK foliar spray significantly recorded the highest grain yield (kg ha -1 ), gross return (Rs. ha -1 ), net return (Rs.ha -1 ) and criss cross combined with 150 per cent soil test based nutrents recorded the highest benefit: cost ratio over rest of the treatments. Criss cross combined with soil test based nutrients and 19:19:19 NPK foliar spray proved to be best regarding these parameters.

References

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