Sub-soiling improves productivity and economic returns of cotton-wheat cropping system

• Published in: Soil & tillage research Vol. 189; pp. 131 - 139
• Main Authors: Singh, Kulvir, Choudhary, Om Parkash, Singh, Harinder Pal, Singh, Angrej, Mishra, Sudhir Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-06-2019
• Subjects: Bulk density; Infiltration rate; Seed cotton yield (SCY); Bulk density; Infiltration rate; Seed cotton yield (SCY)
• ISSN: 0167-1987; 1879-3444
• DOI: 10.1016/j.still.2019.01.013

•Heavy machinery operations or repetitive tillage causes soil compaction.•Reduced bulk density and improved infiltration rate favors better root growth.•Consequently better yield attributes lead to higher crop productivity.•Monetary benefits confirmed sub-soiling to be economically remunerative.•Sub-soiling once in 3 years can improve productivity in 1.2 m ha in N-W India.
Soil compaction in Indian Punjab is an emerging problem affecting crop productivity. Heavy machinery operations or repetitive tillage in fields are main reasons behind this problem. To investigate the direct and residual effect of sub-soiling on soil physical properties and productivity of cotton-wheat cropping system, we conducted a field experiment for three cropping cycles (2014-2017) at two different sites and evaluated a total of five treatments (Control, Sub-soiling at 1.0 m, Sub-soiling at 1.5 m, Cross Sub-soiling at 1.0 m and Cross Sub-soiling at 1.5 m) in complete randomized block design. Results elucidated that any level of sub-soiling if applied once, improved the infiltration rate besides reduction in the bulk density for two years. Consequently, higher root length and increased root mass of cotton under sub-soiled treatments revealed advantages by improvement in yield attributes and seed cotton. Cotton sown after sub-soiling recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield while control exhibited statistically least for two years. Sub-soiling applied prior to cotton sowing in initial year also had beneficial residual effect on succeeding wheat for subsequent two crop cycles. However, during third year, at par yield levels among studied treatments for both the crops indicated that residual effect of sub-soiling persisted no longer beyond two years. Better economic returns and consequently improved benefit: cost ratio clearly revealed that sub-soiling has economic benefits. Our studies concluded that sub-soiling exerted beneficial effect on soil physical properties by reduction in bulk density and improved infiltration rate and any sub-soiling either at 1.0 or 1.5 m once in three years has potential for improving productivity of cotton-wheat cropping system occupying 1.2 million ha in North-Western India.