Comparison of Wheat Production under Different Paddy Residue Management Methods

A study was conducted to compare wheat production under two previous paddy crop residue management systems by taking into account wheat growth parameters, yield attributes and economics of both systems. Farm testing of wheat production in two methods of management of paddy residue viz: sowing of wheat with happy seeder in previous paddy crop residue (paddy residue retention) and sowing of wheat with normal drill after burning of previous paddy residue (paddy residue burning: farmer practice) done in Ferozepur and Jalandhar districts on 10 farmers’ fields locations in each district during rabi season of 2016-17 and 2017-18. Dataset was analyzed using unpaired T test. Both paddy residue retention and paddy residue burning methods resulted in non-significant effect on growth parameters and yield attributes which resulted similar mean grain yields (5.48 t/ha) and (5.35 t/ha), respectively in both districts during two years of study. Paddy residue retention method reduced the cost of wheat cultivation and put a check on air pollution from burning of paddy residue in the field. It saved fertilizers by adding nutrients to the field.