Influence of tillage practices on growth, growth indices and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The present studies on “Influence of tillage practices on growth, growth indices and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh†were conducted during the winter season of 2019-20 and 2020-21, at the experimental Farm of the Department of Agronomy and Rice and Wheat Research Centre, Malan of CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur (H.P.). The four cultivation practices viz., reduced tillage, zero tillage, conventional tillage and natural farming were kept as main plot treatments whereas three wheat varieties viz., HPW 349, HPW 368 and HS 562 were tested as subplot treatments in split plot design. The study was replicated three times. The texture of the soil at both the tested sites was silty clay loam. The results revealed that the conventional tillage recorded significantly taller plants and higher dry matter accumulation at both the locations (Palampur and Malan) which was followed by reduced tillage. Significantly lower plant height and dry matter accumulation was recorded in natural farming treatment. Among the varieties HPW 349 recorded significantly taller plants whereas HPW 368 recorded higher dry matter accumulation. The higher values of AGR (absolute growth rate), CGR (crop growth rate) and RGR (relative growth rate) were recorded in conventional tillage. Among the varieties, HPW 349 resulted in the higher AGR while HPW 368 provided higher values of CGR and RGR.