Energy consumption and its indices under different tillage methods in mungbean (Vigna radiata)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) system in semi-arid conditions of Haryana

A field experiment was conducted during 2019–20 and 2020–21 at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bawal (Rewari), to study the energy consumption and indices under different tillage methods in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system. The treatments included 9 tillage combinations for crop establishment under mungbean–wheat cropping system (MWCS), viz. zero-tillage mungbean (ZTM) followed by (fb) zero-tillage wheat (ZTW), ZTM fb reduced tillage wheat (RTW), ZTM fb conventional tillage wheat (CTW), reduced tillage mungbean (RTM) fb ZTW, RTM fb RTW, RTM fb CTW, conventional tillage mungbean (CTM) fb ZTW, CTM fb RTW, CTM fb CTW, laid out in randomized block design with 3 replications. The yields of mungbean sown after ZTW were higher (775–785 kg/ha) than after RTW (756–783 kg/ha) or CTW (753–780 kg/ha). However, the highest grain yield (5,367 and 5,025 kg/ha during 2019–20 and 2020–21, respectively) of wheat was obtained under ZTM–ZTW. Energy inputs under ZTM–ZTW were lowest, which saves 18% of energy incurred in CTM–CTW. Output: input ratio of energy was highest (10.13) under ZTM–ZTW and lowest (7.67) under CTM–CTW. Zero-tillage resulted in the minimum specific energy (energy consumed/kilogram of grain production) in mungbean (4.37–5.16 MJ/kg) and wheat (2.94–3.10 MJ/kg). Zero-tillage based establishment of MWCS was realized to be sustainable for resource conservation as well as crop productivity.