ssessing the impact of Various Tillage Methods and Nutrient Sources on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Yields and Nutrient availability (NPK) in Typic ustochrept soils

A two-year field experiment (2023-2024) was conducted at the Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate the impact of tillage-cum-crop establishment (TCE) methods and nutrient management strategies on soil properties, nutrient availability, and rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity in Typic Ustochrept soils. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications, comprising three Tillage cum crop established method (TCE), unpuddled transplanted rice (UP-TPR), transplanted rice on wide raised beds (W Bed-TPR), and conventional puddled transplanted rice (CT-TPR) and seven nutrient management strategies, including combinations of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), farmyard manure (FYM), phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), Azotobacter, and zinc sulphate (ZnSO). Results revealed that CT-TPR consistently produced the highest grain yield (45.6-47.1 q ha- ¹) and biological yield (111.9-116.3 q ha- ¹), though it slightly reduced soil organic carbon (0.347–0.350%) and residual nutrient availability compared to UP-TPR and W Bed-TPR. In contrast, resource-conserving tillage practices enhanced soil organic carbon (0.376-0.381%) and nutrient retention. Integrated nutrient management, particularly 100% RDF + FYM + PSB + Azotobacter (N), recorded the maximum grain yield (48.8-50.7 q ha- ¹) and biological yield (119.6-124.8 q ha- ¹), along with improved nutrient-use efficiency. However, lower residual NPK under integrated treatments reflected greater nutrient uptake by the crop. Harvest index remained stable across treatments (39.5–40.8%). The study concludes that combining CT-TPR with integrated nutrient management ensures higher productivity, while unpuddled and raised-bed systems contribute to better soil quality. These findings highlight the importance of integrating suitable crop establishment practices with balanced nutrient inputs to sustain rice yields and soil fertility in Typic Ustochrept soils of the Indo-Gangetic Plains.