Different tillage practices and residue management on productivity and nutrient uptake of wheat grown after soybean in soybean (Glycine max)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) c

A microplot experiment was conducted during kharif and rabi seasons of crop years 2010-12in New Delhi, to study the effect of continuous or cyclic tillage on yield performance and nutrient uptake of wheat in soybean–wheat cropping system. The treatments consisted of conventional tillage (CT) and zero-tillage (ZT),and residue management of soybean residue (SR) and/or wheat (WR).The experiment was laid out in microplots (with the size of 4 x 1 m) in RBD with two replications. Plant height at different growth stages was not influenced due to tillage and residue management practices but performance was better in cycling tillage with application of crop residue. All yield attributes were shown variation due to treatments, except spike length. The harmful effects of ZT on yield attributes could be overcome with residue application on soil surface. The grain yield was equal, when CT and ZT were adopted either continuously or alternately, and this was significantly lower than all treatments of ZT+SR irrespective of tillage in the previous crop. The concentration of N, P and K was not varied significantly, but nutrient uptake was changed significantly due to treatments that is because of different plant dry matter production. The improvement may be expected over several years of continuous application of crop residue and ZT.