Vol. 11, Issue 10 (2022)

Author(s):
Vikash Singh, SP Singh, DS Sasode, Ekta Joshi, SK Sharma, Rajendra Patel, MJ Sadawarti, Sanjay Rawal and VK Dua

Abstract:
A two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) field study was carried out at ICAR-CPRI-RS, Gwalior, to evaluate the effect of paddy straw mulch and different sources of nutrients on yield and economics of rice - potato cropping system. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications. The treatment combination consisted of two factors such as paddy straw mulch and different sources of nutrients. Data revealed that the significant difference was observed with paddy straw mulch on effective tillers (316.2 and 318.3 m²), panicle length (22.2 and 22.9 cm), weight/panicle (3.23 and 3.36 g), filled grains/panicle (107.4 and 111.0) and grain yield (2699 and 2768 kg/ha) in rice during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. Application of paddy straw mulch recorded higher tuber/plant (8.55 and 9.58), weight of tuber/plant (409.4 and 417.7), dry tuber weight/plant (72.3 and 74.0) and tuber yield (23.16 and 23.79 t/ha) in potato during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively as compare to non-mulched treatment. Application of 100% RDF (NPK) through inorganic sources gave highest yield attributing characters and yield of both crops (rice and potato) which was significantly superior over other treatments. Test weight (1000 grain weight) of rice was not varied significantly under different treatments. The highest rice grain yield of 3754 and 3857 kg/ha during 2020-21 and 2021-22 were recorded with 100% RDF (NPK) which was 24.88 and 23.41% higher than FYM @ 25 t/ha + Jeevamrut @ 500 l/ha during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. The highest tuber yield of 25.72 and 27.14 t/ha were recorded during 2020-21 and 2021-22 which was 8.98 and 11.68% higher than FYM @ 25 t/ha + Jeevamrut @ 500 l/ha during 2020-21 and 2021-22. Paddy straw mulch @ 5 t/ha with 100% RDF (NPK) resulted in higher rice grain and potato tuber yield than without mulched treatment. But differences among the interaction of treatments did not reach to the level of significance. Application of FYM @ 25 t/ha + Jeevamrut @ 500 l/ha with paddy straw mulch @ 5 t/ha obtained the highest net returns (₹ 44012 and 50820 ha) in rice and (₹231304 and 259822 ha) in potato during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. Thus organic production of rice – potato sequence proved economically viable option.