Tillage and brown manuring effects on soil properties and yield in Shivalik

The present study aimed to determine the effect of tillage and brown manuring in sandy loam soil under maize (Zea mays L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) sequence. Six treatments implemented were Conventional tillage (CT); Deep tillage once in three years (DT); Conventional tillage with integrated nutrient management (CT-INM); Conventional tillage with brown manuring in maize + cowpea (1:2) and wheat + pea (4:1) ratio (CT-BM); Conservation tillage (CST); Conservation tillage with brown manuring (CST-BM). Maize equivalent yield (MEY) was 51.8% higher in CT-INM, over control; DT, CST, CST-BM and CT-BM produced 4.92, 14.1, 30.8 and 39.3 % higher yield over control (CT), respectively. The mean soil organic carbon (SOC) was 12.1, 11.3 and 17.7% higher under CT-BM, CST, CST-BM treatments, respectively, over the control (CT) in surface soil. Brown manuring in conjunction with both conventional (CT-BM) and conservation tillage (CST-BM) reduced soil loss to the extent of 91.70% and 93.32% as compared to CT. The highest net return per rupee of investment was recorded in CT-INM, being lowest in DT.