SPRING WHEAT-FIELD PEA ROTATION WITH TILLAGE SYSTEMS AND STRAW RETENTION IMPROVES SOIL WATER UTILIZATION AND REDUCES CARBON EMISSION

Abstract

Background and Objective: Soil tillage and crop rotation are used to increase crop production and resource use efficiency worldwide. This study aimed to quantify soil respiration (Rs), Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and grain yield in spring wheat-field pea rotation in a rain-fed semi-arid environment. Methodology: The tillage practices included; conventional tillage with straw removed (T), no-till with straw removed (NT), no-till with straw retention on the soil surface (NTS) and conventional tillage with straw incorporated (TS), administered in a randomized block design with three replicates. Soil respiration was monitored in the 2016 cropping season using LI-8100 system (LI-COR, USA). Results: Grain yield and WUE in spring wheat were approximately 26.43 and 37.86% higher, respectively in NTS compared with T. In a less magnitude, TS also significantly increased grain yield and water use efficiency by ≈ 15.96 and 26.82%, respectively, compared with T and NT treatments. In field pea plots, NTS and NT increased grain yield and WUE by ≈ 35.60 and 26.35% compared with T treatments. The NTS had carbon emission of 436.05 kg ha⁻¹ in spring wheat and 288.45 kg ha⁻¹ in field pea, representing 31.89 and 25.88% less carbon emitted than T treatment during the growing season. The NT decreased carbon emission, but the effect was lesser relative to NTS. Conclusion: The findings of the present study show that spring wheat-field pea rotation with tillage removal coupled with straw retention can be used to increase grain production and reduce carbon emission in semi-arid areas.