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Imbalanced and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has been adversely influencing the quality of soil, environment, biodiversity and nutrient status in soil. Conjoint application of bio-inoculants (BI) with organic or inorganic sources of nutrients tweaks nutrient synchrony in soil and improves plant nutrition. With this backdrop an experiment was conducted at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 2016–2018. The objectives were to identify the suitable combinations of BI-mediated nutrient sources for higher productivity and profitability in pigeon pea–wheat cropping system (PWCS). The nine pigeon pea treatments; four sole applications viz., recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), vermicompost (VC), farm yard manure (FYM), leaf compost (LC) and four conjoint applications viz., RDF + BI, VC + BI, FYM + BI and LC + BI and one control were replicated thrice under randomized block design (RBD). However, in succeeding wheat, each of the treatments applied to pigeon pea was further allocated to two levels (50% and 100%) in factorial RBD. Findings exhibit that FYM + BI could result into higher equivalent-system grain productivity (10.4 and 10.8 t ha−1 during 1st and 2nd year, respectively) of PWCS. However, profitability parameters of PWCS were higher with the RDF + BI. Uptake of nutrients (NPK) was significantly higher with FYM + BI in pigeon pea and RDF + BI in wheat. Nutrient harvest index (NHI) did not vary significantly in both the crops. Conclusively, bio-inoculation is more productive and beneficial in general, while, over the various combinations, recommendation of FYM + BI combination could be more productive and sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) application on crop productivity, grain quality, water-use efficiency (WUE), and soil enzyme activity in aerobic rice (AR) at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Four levels each of Si (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha–1) and P (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1) were tested in a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) replicated thrice. The growth, yield and quality of AR were enhanced with increasing Si and P application rates and a similar trend was observed for WUE and soil enzyme activity. The highest grain yield of AR was recorded with 120 kg Si and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1 followed by 80 kg Si and 60 kg P2O5 ha–1 and the lowest in control. The grain, straw yield and water productivity increased by 10–40%, 5–30%, and 10.2–39%, respectively in different treatments over control. Though, all studied parameters showed increment with increasing dose of Si and P; however 60 kg P2O5 and 80 kg Si ha–1 were statistically superior to their other respective doses. In conclusion, supplementation of Si and P fertilizers substantially increased the AR productivity in Trans-Gangetic plains of India (Figure 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practices of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methodology have been extended to wheat and various other crops with reported good results. To assess such reports with respect to wheat, an experiment was conducted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 2011–2012 and 2012–2013. This experiment compared the performance of wheat under System of Wheat Intensification (SWI) and standard recommended practices (SRPs). In 2011–2012, the SWI yield of 7.93 t ha−1was 30% higher than for SRP in 2012–2013, climatically a less favorable year, hence SWI performed relatively better with a 46% yield advantage under climate stress. SWI produced 12.5% less in the stressful year, while the reduction for the SRPs ranged from 18% to 31%. Differences in yield attributes and root traits were also observed in favor of SWI. Available N, P, and K in the soil after harvesting was increased with SWI, whereas depletion in nutrients with the SRPs indicated the scope for SWI sustaining soil fertility. Higher yield compensated for higher SWI costs of cultivation. A net return of US$ 1383 ha−1was obtained with SWI, 35% more than the US$ 1020 ha−1from SRPs. Overall, SWI outperformed the SRPs in terms of yields, climate resilience, and economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]