Growing of rice and wheat in sequence in Nepal is common, it constitutes the major cropping system in the terai region of Nepal. The average yields of rice rarely exceed 3 t ha-1 and wheat yields invariably remain within 1?2 t ha-1. These yields are low in comparison with other parts of south Asia where the rice-wheat system is practiced. In general, one of the major difficulties for this system is to plant wheat in marshy or wet lands after rice, as land preparation is very difficult under such conditions. Wet and marshy lands need more time to come to good tilth and thus wheat cannot be planted in time. In this context, zero or minimum tillage practice constitutes a feasible solution with minimum disturbance to the soil by simply placing the seeds in furrows opened or scraped by the tines. Zero-tillage wheat allows for a drastic reduction in tillage intensity, resulting in significant cost savings as well as potential gains in wheat yield through earlier planting of wheat. By tradition, in the Terai region farmers believe that wheat planting needs well-prepared and pulverized soil for high yields, carrying out several plowings and harrowing. However, after rice, land is marshy or wet and ploughing is not possible, delaying wheat planting. Zero or minimum tillage provides minimum disturbance of the soil by placing the seeds directly in furrows. Seeds are then covered with well-decomposed compost and rice stubbles left in the field. Some advantages of zero-tillage is the reduction of about 30% in the use of water, compared to conventional tillage, as well as an improvement in the physical properties of soil. In addition, by planting wheat in time, higher yields may be obtained. The objective is to facilitate timely planting of wheat crop, while minimizing soil degradation and conserving residual soil moisture and energy with minimum or zero tillage in wet and marshy land, where land preparation is not be possible.
#ZeroTillage #MinimumTillage #RiceWheatSystem #Agriculture #SoilDegradation #SoilMoisture
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Publisher:
FAO
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(2013
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Type / Script:
Bulletin or Poster
in English
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Keywords:
ZERO TILLAGE, MINIMUM TILLAGE, AGRICULTURE, CROP YIELDS, WHEAT, RICE, FARMING SYSTEMS, CONSERVATION TILLAGE, AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, CLIMATE CHANGE, DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, CROP PRODUCTION, NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, SOIL DEGRADATION, SEEDS, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, SOIL DEGRADATION, SOIL MOISTURE, FERTILIZER USE
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Thematic Group:
FAO
:
Food and Agriculture Organization
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Thesaurus:
04.01.01
- Agricultural Economics And Policy; Rural Sociology
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Reference Link:
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