Optimizing Wheat Yield through Sowing and Tillage Management in Silty Loam Soils

Abstract

The productivity of wheat crops may be affected by a multitude of factors including soil moisture, seed quality, soil fertility, rainfall pattern, and field management practices. However, this study is focused on evaluating the impact of different tillage and sowing methods on the yield of wheat in silty loam soil. Over two consecutive wheat growing seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23), the research focused on comparing Conventional Tillage (CT) and No-Tillage (NT) with four sowing methods: Flat Basin with Broadcasting (FB-B), Flat Basin with Line sowing (FB-L), Narrow Bed with Line sowing (NB-L) and Wide Bed with Line sowing (WB-L). The study utilized a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) to ensure robust experimental design and data collection. Results revealed that NT practice yields 4.79% better results than CT treatments. Statistical analysis revealed that the NB-L method consistently outperformed other methods, demonstrating superior crop growth and maximizing grain yield. On average, NB-L exhibited an increase of 4.20% in crop height, 25.18% in dry biomass production, and 26.10% increase in grain yield compared to the conventional broadcasting method for sowing. Conversely, flat basin line sowing (FB-L) exhibited mixed performance, with advantages in grain quality metrics having 5.43% higher grain weight and 6.59% harvesting index compared to broadcasting method, but shorter spikes and lower dry biomass production compared to other sowing methods. WB-L has32.92% higher water productivity compared to the broadcasting method. NB-L treatments exhibited higher irrigation demand but demonstrated efficient water utilization and higher water productivity, with a 26.41% higher compared to the broadcasting method. The findings suggest that the wide beds sowing method is considered the most suitable technique in water-scarce regions to reduce water usage and produce optimum yield. The study's findings provide crucial insights for agricultural practices, suggesting the robustness and adaptability of the NB-L method across different tillage conditions and the potential of WB in water-efficient farming. This research offers valuable insights for farmers and policymakers, guiding the adoption of more efficient and sustainable wheat cultivation practices like narrow beds, and no-tillage practices. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of these practices on soil health and assess their adaptability across various soil types and climatic conditions.