Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted at ICARIISR,
Lucknow, in a split-plot design with two cropping
systems and eight different crop residue management
practices. In main plots, cropping systems, viz. CS1—rice–
wheat (R–W) and CS2—sugarcane (plant crop)–ratoon–
wheat (S–R–W) and subplots residue management practices,
viz. residue removal (T1-RR); residue burning (T2-
RB); residue incorporation (T3-RI); residue incorporation
? Trichoderma (T4-RI ? T), residue incorporation
?25 % extra nitrogen application (T5-RI ? N), partial
residue incorporation (T6-PRI), partial residue incorporation
? Trichoderma (T7-PRI ? T) and partial residue
incorporation ?25 % extra nitrogen application (T8-
PRI ? N), were allocated. The observations on soil physical
parameters indicated the lower mean bulk density
(1.10 Mg m-3) in sugarcane–ratoon–wheat system than
the rice–wheat system (1.145 Mg m-3). Increased porosity
(58.68 %) was obtained in sugarcane–ratoon–wheat (S–R–
W) system as compared to rice–wheat system (56.83 %). In
S–R–W system, higher (19.51 %) SOC was recorded than
the R–W system (16.31 Mg ha-1) at 0–15 cm depth. After
harvesting of wheat in both the cropping systems, higher
total carbon sequestered (@1.42 Mg ha-1) in S–R–W
system than the R–W cropping system (0–15 cm soil
depth). Higher contents of available nitrogen, phosphorous
and potassium were recorded in S–R–W system than the
R–W system after completion of crop cycle. The
agronomic efficiency of rice, wheat and sugarcane crops
indicated the higher level with residue incorporation along
with Trichoderma application. Thus, it could be concluded
that sugarcane–ratoon–wheat system acted as soil fertility
restorer and crop reside management along with application
of Trichoderma sustained the soil carbon level, crop
productivity and agronomic/production efficiency of N for
longer period.
