Subhani, A., M. Tariq, A. Mahmood, R. Latif and M.S. Iqbal. 2012. Eliminating summer fallow effects soil moisture and yield of wheat and chickpea crops in rainfed region. Plant & Environment. 1(1): 1-7.
Subhani, A., M. Tariq, A. Mahmood, R. Latif and M.S. Iqbal. 2012. Eliminating summer fallow effects soil moisture and yield of wheat and chickpea crops in rainfed region. Plant & Environment. 1(1): 1-7.
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ELIMINATING SUMMER FALLOW AFFECTS SOIL MOISTURE AND YIELDS OF WHEAT AND CHICKPEA CROPS IN RAINFED REGION
Abid Subhani, Muhammad Tariq, Abid Mahmood, Rizwan Latif and Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, Pakistan Corresponding author: asubhani786@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT Soil moisture is a major factor limiting crop intensity in the rainfed (Barani) areas with low and variable annual rainfall. Experiments were conducted over five years with different crops and agronomic practices to find a feasible cropping pattern that could enhance profitable crop intensity in these areas. Wheat and chickpea were the main winter crops while summer treatments included four crops; mung bean, mash bean, sorghum, millets, and three fallow treatments; weeds removed, weeds not removed, and deep ploughed. Results confirmed a positive and significant relationship between gravimetric soil water content over summer and the yield of wheat and chickpea crops in winter. Eliminating summer fallow adversely affected wheat yield and economic return. Fallow deep ploughed treatment in the preceding summer conserved better soil moisture and resulted in relatively higher wheat and chickpea yield. Five years data showed maximum returns from summer fallow-deep ploughed and wheat crop in winter. Second best combination was summer fallow-weed removed and wheat in winter. For chickpea based system, mash bean chickpea cropping pattern provided higher annualized net return. The most profitable crop rotation under rainfed conditions was summer fallow-deep ploughed wheat fallow- weeds removed wheat.
Key words: crop intensity, rainfed, wheat, chickpea, crop rotation Received: November 11, 2011; Accepted: March 1, 2012
INTRODUCTION Monsoon regions have dry and wet seasons, and crops are cultivated based on available soil moisture (Devendra and Thomas 2002). Farmers generally resort to monocultures in the major wet season, leave fields fallow in the dry season that aggravates problems like weeds in the following season (Akobunbu et al. 1999). Pothohar region of Pakistan is a semi arid region and receives about 70% of the precipitation in summer (June September). Precipitation is limited and highly variable. Traditional winter wheatfallow cropping system helps stabilize yields (Haas et al. 1974; Hinze and Smika 1983). This system includes weed control through tillage during fallow period that leaves the soil surface vulnerable to soil loss and degradation by wind erosion, and carries low precipitation storage efficiency (Tanaka and Aase 1987; Farahani et al. 1998a). Biederbeck et al. (1998) proposed legume cover crops during fallow period to Plants & Environment 1: 1 7, 2012 www.journals.hhfgroup.com ISSN: 1927-1336 eISSN: 1927-1344 Subhani et al. Plants & Environment 1: 1 7, 2012 HHF initiatives 2
protect soil erosion, provide organic matter, and maintain soil fertility. Farahani et al. (1998b) argued that inclusion of summer crop like mung bean, mash bean, and sorghum in rotation with wheat summer fallow, could enhance efficient use of precipitation by reducing the frequency of summer fallow. In addition, it has potential to increase grain yield, intensify dry land cropping system, increase potentially active surface soil organic matter and nitrogen (Peterson et al. 1998), effectively control annual grass weeds in winter wheat (Daugovish et al. 1999), increase net return and reduce financial risk (Dhyvetter et al. 1996). These findings point to the fact that cropping pattern of the minor season casts significant impact on the productivity of the following major crop. Experiments were, therefore, planned to quantify production and economic effect of replacing summer fallow with crops like mung bean, millet or sorghum, on the subsequent wheat and chickpea crops in winter.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Location and climate District Chakwal in Pakistan is located at an elevation of 498 m above sea level at 32.55 o N and 72.51 o E. It is a semi-arid region with annual average precipitation of 600 mm.
Methodology Field experiments were established at Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, Pakistan, from 2004 to 2009 on sandy clay loam soil; deep well drained, moderately structured, moderately alkaline with no salinity or sodicity problem. There was no significant change observed in the soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) before and after the experiments (data not shown). Seven summer treatments were applied: mung bean (T1), mash bean (T2), millets (T3), sorghum (T4), fallowweeds removed (T5), fallowweeds not removed (T6), and fallowdeep ploughed (T7). T6 and T7 could not be included in 2004 season. Mung bean, mash bean, sorghum and millet were sown in the summer in a randomized complete block arrangement with three replications each year from 2004 to 2009. Three summer fallow treatments included for comparison were weeds removed, weeds not removed and a deep ploughed. Weeds were removed manually from the fallowweed removed treatment. Individual plots measured 20 x 6 m. Before sowing first summer crop treatment, soil samples were drawn from the experimental area in depth increment of 15 cm each up to 60 cm for gravimetric soil water content. Soil nutrient analysis was done for first two increments only. Soil samples were drawn again after 15 days in a similar pattern. Summer crop treatments received recommended doses of NPK fertilizers. No weedicide was applied. Summer treatment plots were split in half, one each for wheat and chickpea. Summer and winter-sown crops were threshed mechanically and yields were adjusted to constant moisture content. The composite soil samples taken after each crop season were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, NPK using procedures described by Anderson and Ingram (1993). Annualized net return for each summer crop, and subsequent winter wheat and chickpea crops was calculated at prevailing market rates.
RESULTS
Gravimetric soil water content Seasonal precipitation varied substantially over the experimental years. Year 2007 received the highest (720 mm) and 2006 the lowest (558 mm) rains. Summer rains were higher in 2005-06 and 2007-08. Treatment ranking varied over the years for their effect on gravimetric soil water content Eliminating summer fallow affects soil moisture and yield
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(Table-1), except T7 (fallowdeep ploughed) that remained consistently the most effective of all the treatments, followed by mash bean cultivation (T2) and fallowweed removed (T5). Cultivation of sorghum (T4) and weedy fallow (T6) during summer reduced maximum soil moisture for the winter crops.
Table-1: Gravimetric soil water content (mm) in the 60 cm layer at wheat and chickpea planting following different summer treatments
Year ST 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 Mean T1 55.25 47.35 87.55 64.10 52.25 61.30 T2 69.30 48.70 84.55 65.00 53.55 64.25 T3 51.20 48.40 83.70 59.90 48.50 58.35 T4 53.75 39.95 79.60 61.90 45.00 56.05 T5 49.55 48.65 88.35 60.35 52.10 62.35 T6 -- 48.25 84.35 52.60 45.90 56.10 T7 -- 59.50 96.65 67.70 55.60 69.85 SE 7.86 5.71 5.34 4.84 4.01 4.93 SR 274 359 233 373 273 302 WR 257 104 393 158 255 233 SE = Standard error. SR and WR= summer and winter rains (mm), respectively
Yields of summer crops Sorghum was the most productive summer crop in terms of grain yield followed by millets (Table-2). Year 2006 received relatively low effective summer rains. There was no general relationship between the effective rain and yield of summer crops. Grain yield of mung and mash bean yields were relatively low in 2007 as crops picked up vegetative growth due to relatively high rains.
Table-3: Wheat grain yield (kg/ha) following different summer treatments (ST)
-0.05 0.88* 0.81* 0.66* 0.74* 0.89* r 2 = Correlation coefficient between gravimetric soil water content and wheat yield. *Significant (P<0.01)
Wheat yield vis--vis summer treatments Wheat yield was generally low in 2004- 05 and high in 2006-07 and 2008-09 (Table-3). Wheat yield was positively related to winter rainfall as well as gravimetric soil water content. Correlation analysis of gravimetric soil moisture content after various summer treatments measured before sowing winter crop with wheat yield suggested that with the exception of 2004-05, wheat yield was significantly and positively related to gravimetric soil water content at sowing in all the years (Table-3). The data thus connote that preceding summer treatment had significant effect on wheat yield. Wheat crop yielded better when preceding summer treatment was fallow deep ploughed (T7) and fallowweed removed (T5). During 2004-05, however, wheat yield was high when preceding summer treatment was T5 (fallow weed removed) and T2 (mash bean) when fallow deep ploughed treatment was not included. Wheat yield following fallowdeep ploughed treatment was not only high in relative ranking but also in quantitative term (Table-3). For example, on overall average, wheat yield after fallowdeep ploughed Subhani et al. Plants & Environment 1: 1 7, 2012 HHF initiatives 4
summer treatment showed 11% increase over that obtained after fallowweed removed treatment (2 nd best) and 54% increase over yield after mash bean, the 3 rd best treatment. Wheat yield after fallowdeep ploughed treatment marked 135% increase over that obtained after sorghum. Wheat yield pattern vis--vis summer treatment was as follows: fallowdeep ploughed > fallowweed removed > mung bean > mash bean > fallowweed not removed > millet > sorghum.
Table-4: Chickpea grain yield (kg/ha) following different summer treatments (ST)
SE = standard error Chickpea yield vis--vis summer treatments Chickpea yield varied significantly over the years. In general, yield was high during 2004-05 and 2005-06, and low during 2007-08 and 2008-09 (Table-4). Chickpea yield was not associated with winter rainfall but significantly and positively associated with gravimetric soil water content at sowing. Years 2004-05 and 2008-09 received almost same amount of winter rains but chickpea yield (averaged over treatments) in 2004-05 was 350% higher than that harvested in 2008-09 and 130% higher than that in 2006-07, years of the highest rain (Table-4). For chickpea, preceding summer treatment was comparatively less important. During 2004-05, no significant difference among treatment effects was observed on chickpea yield in the absence of T7 and T6. During later years, fallowdeep ploughed summer treatment (T7) had consistent and most favourable effect on chickpea yield. On overall average basis, however, fallowdeep ploughed (T7), fallowweed removed (T5) and mung and mash crops in summer (T1 & T2) had similar effects on chickpea yield (Table-4).
Table-6: Chickpea crop-water productivity (kg/m 3 ) following different summer treatments
Year ST 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 Mean T1 0.50 1.04 0.17 0.08 0.13 0.38 T2 0.48 1.10 0.19 0.10 0.08 0.39 T3 0.46 0.98 0.10 0.06 0.06 0.33 T4 0.50 0.97 0.10 0.06 0.07 0.34 T5 0.54 1.22 0.20 0.09 0.18 0.45 T6 - 1.13 0.13 0.07 0.07 0.35 T7 - 1.48 0.25 0.19 0.22 0.54 SE 0.03 0.16 0.05 0.04 0.06 0.07 SE = standard error
On an average, chickpea yield vis--vis summer treatments ranked as follows: fallow deep ploughed > fallowweeds removed > mash bean > mung bean > sorghum > millet > fallowweeds not removed. Eliminating summer fallow affects soil moisture and yield
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Cropwater productivity Differences among various summer treatments for wheat crop-water productivity were narrow in 2004-05, T5 being relatively better. In the following years, fallowdeep ploughed treatment (T7) provided the highest wheat crop-water productivity followed by fallowweeds removed (T5) treatment. Wheat crop-water productivity was lowest with T4, where wheat followed sorghum. Similarly for the chickpea crop, fallow deep ploughed summer treatment (T7) provided the highest crop-water productivity followed by fallowweeds removed (T5). Chickpea crop-water productivity was lowest when chickpea was sown after sorghum or millet in summer (Table-6).
Economic Return For wheat-based system, economic return from various cropping patterns varied substantially over the years, primarily due to variation in yields of the major crops. During 2005-06, all patterns gave negative returns, except mash bean wheat, because of the low wheat yield. Economic return from wheat mash bean combination, though positive, merely amounted to Rupees 500 only. Apart from that, five-year average annualized net return from summer fallow-deep ploughed wheat combination provided the highest return, followed by summer fallow-weed removed wheat combination (Table-7). Summer fallow-deep ploughed wheat pattern provided 50% more return as compared to summer fallow-weed removed wheat combination, the 2 nd best, and 72% more than mash wheat combination. Millet wheat and sorghum wheat patterns represented the lowest returns in all the years. For chickpea based system, years 2006-07 to 2008-09 were poor returning because of poor yields in those three years. Nevertheless, in combination with different treatments, mash beanchickpea combination provided higher annualized net return followed by fallow-deep ploughed chickpea, and summer fallow-weed removed chickpea. Summer millet chickpea was the lowest returning pattern (Table-8).
Table-7: Annualized net return (000Rupees/ha) for summer and subsequent wheat crop
Year ST 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 Mean T1 3.11 -11.91 18.46 3.19 43.66 11.30 T2 15.37 0.50 31.00 9.05 33.72 17.93 T3 -0.95 -17.59 2.14 -11.40 4.01 -4.76 T4 3.53 -13.89 5.60 -4.54 6.71 -0.52 T5 7.53 -12.01 27.85 -3.77 83.27 20.57 T6 - -10.47 6.14 -5.96 13.73 0.86 T7 - -8.78 28.73 11.48 91.89 30.83 SE 5.52 5.21 11.48 7.78 33.19 12.05 SE = standard error
Table-8: Annualized net return (000Rupees/ha) for summer and subsequent chickpea crop
Year ST 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 Mean T1 19.77 17.03 -0.11 -8.51 -4.84 4.67 T2 32.29 28.89 8.99 -2.23 0.17 13.62 T3 14.74 10.55 -13.61 -13.79 -11.80 -2.78 T4 23.08 13.19 -6.75 -7.39 -8.54 2.72 T5 23.98 19.93 -1.25 -13.77 -3.75 5.03 T6 - 18.88 -4.65 -12.16 -11.96 -2.47 T7 - 27.28 2.70 -8.30 0.18 5.46 SE 5.76 6.27 6.67 3.84 4.75 5.14 SE = standard error
DISCUSSION Water is a vital and scarce commodity in arid and semi-arid regions, thus the most important factor affecting cropping pattern, crop intensity, yield and the economic return. The basic principle as well as objective of arid and semi agriculture is the conservation and efficient utilization of soil moisture, through agronomic practices, for a profitable farming. Our study conducted over five years revealed a significant and positive relationship between gravimetric water content over Subhani et al. Plants & Environment 1: 1 7, 2012 HHF initiatives 6
summer and the yields of wheat and chickpea crops in winter. Gravimetric soil water content at sowing appeared to be more important than the amount of rain during crop season as better moisture at sowing enhances seed germination and vigorous early crop stand, and ultimately yield. It was obvious that eliminating summer fallow always significantly reduced available soil moisture, yield and thus economic return. Nielsen et al. (2002) and Lyon et al. (2004) reported similar results and recorded higher forage and corn yields following summer fallow treatment than those after oat and peas. Schiegel and Havlin (1997), and Vigil and Nielsen (1998) also reported reduced wheat yield when legume crops were used to replace a portion of the summer fallow period before winter wheat planting. Moret et al. (2007) compared continuous cropping and crop-fallow rotation on growth and yield of barley in three consecutive growing seasons and concluded that crop-fallow rotation provided the highest value of dry matter, and yielded 49% more grain than continuous cropping. We also studied and compared different fallow practices and found fallow- deep ploughed and fallow-weed removed treatments being better in moisture conservation and conducive for wheat yield. Bonfil et al. (1999) concluded that conditions where land was kept fallow in summer season, clean fallow generally increased soil water storage compared to fallow with weeds. Our findings also suggested that fallow-weed removed summer practice was better than fallow-weed not removed, and leguminous crops (mung and mash beans) better than millet and sorghum in conserving soil moisture. Legumes have additional beneficial effect of nitrogen fixation that enhances soil fertility. Khan et al. (1989) and Lal (1991) have argued that introducing grain legumes in cropping systems instead of leaving land fallow during summer season or for a year would reduce soil erosion and improve soil fertility. However, our study could not confirm their further conclusion that wheat grown in rotation with legumes was economically a better alternative than fallow wheat system. Our findings concluded fallow-deep ploughed wheat system a better economic option. The discrepancy could be due to differences in yield levels obtained and market prices of the crops. Summer fallow is a fixed cost within a cropping system. Replacing summer-fallow with a summer-planted transition crop requires additional cost and reduces wheat and chickpea revenue associated with the transition crop. For the transition crop to be a viable option, net return derived from it should exceed the reduction in net return from the reduced winter crop yield. Irrespective of the impact of various summer practices on soil moisture content and yields of the major crops, principal driving force behind successful cropping pattern and the ensuing crop intensity lies in the economic return to the farmers. Economic return depends, in addition to agro-climatic factors, on the cost of production and prevalent market prices of the commodity. Our economic analysis suggested that wheat planting after deep ploughed summer fallow in wheat based cropping system and chickpea mash bean cropping pattern for chickpea based cropping system were the most economical for the Pottohar rainfed area.
CONCLUSIONS Eliminating fallow-deep ploughed summer practice before wheat planting adversely affected wheat yield and economic return. The cost of water used by legumes and forage crops and subsequent decrease in wheat yield was too high to justify the planting of these crops as fallow cover crops in wheat-fallow systems under semi-arid environment. The most economical crop rotation under rainfed conditions appeared to be summer fallow-deep ploughed -- wheat fallow-weeds removed -- wheat. Fallow-deep ploughed summer treatment conserved maximum moisture vital for winter crop. Eliminating summer fallow affects soil moisture and yield
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