Effect of crop establishment methods on yield and economics of cultivation of wheat

Abstract

Zero till seed-cum-ferti drill, rice-wheat seeder and broadcasting method, as treatments T1, T2 & T3 respectively, were used for wheat sowing at 100.0 kg/ha seed rate in pulverized sandy loam soil. Rice-wheat seeder delivered optimum seed rate upon maintenance of minimum of 3.75 kg seed per box. At every 52.0 meter run of machine 0.5 kg seed was to be filled in seed boxes to maintain uniform seeding at 100.0 kg/ha seed rate. The machines in treatment T1 and T2 had field capacities 0.49 ha/h and 0.169 ha/h and field efficiencies 71% & 82% respectively. Rice wheat seeder had registered 96.19% seeding efficiency in comparison to 97.67% seeding efficiency of seed drill. Maximum yield (4.27 t) was obtained in treatment T2, followed by treatment T1 (4.186 t) and T3 (4.08 t). Benefit-cost ratio of treatment T3 was found highest 4.77:1 followed by treatment T2 (4.66:1) in spite of minimum net return per hectare (Rs.71607.0) among all treatments. Highest net return/ ha of Rs.74454.0 was in treatment T2, followed by treatment T1 (Rs.72089.0). Obviously, yield and economics of use of rice wheat seeder equipment justifies its utility for wheat cultivation by small and marginal farmers.