EFFECT OF PUDDLING AND ORGANIC SOURCES OF NUTRIENTS ON PRODUCTIVITY OF RICE - WHEAT CROPPING SYSTEM IN LOWLANDS

A field experiment was conducted during kharif and rabi seasons of 2008 to 2010 at Crop Research Station, Ghaghraghat, Bahraich to evaluate the effect of soil manipulation (puddling) and organic sources of nutrients along with inorganic fertilizer on rice and its residual effect on wheat productivity in rice-wheat cropping system. Puddling treatments did not influence the rice and wheat yield significantly. Slightly higher grain yield of rice (1.7%) and wheat (2.3%) was recorded under non-puddled treatment over puddled one. However, application of organic sources caused significant increase in grain yield of rice (5.7-17.5%) and residual effect of organics on wheat (5.3-13.0%) over inorganic fertilizer alone. Among the organics, significantly higher grain yield of rice (17.5%) and residual wheat yield (13.0%) was obtained with dhaincha (insitu) + wheat residue (5 t ha -1 ) over inorganic fertilizer alone. Organic sources increased the N P and K uptake by rice and wheat crop and also improved the bulk density, porosity, pH, SOC and available N P and K as compared to inorganic fertilizer alone. The above results indicated that the application of dhaincha (insitu) + wheat residue (5 t ha -1 ) along with inorganic fertilizer was found the best treatment for getting higher yield of