Improving soil health and system productivity through conservation agriculture and weed management strategies in rice-maize cropping system

Summary

Conservation agriculture (CA)-based rice-maize cropping system (RMCS) can be the possible option for higher productivity and maintain soil health in the Indo Gangetic Plains. However, weed infestation remains the major constraint in its adoption. Hence, to adopt CA practices and at the same time manage weed population, a field experiment was carried out at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University during 2019–20 and 2020–21. Treatments consisted of four main plots of different tillage practices, viz. zero- till direct seeded rice followed by zero-till maize (ZTDSR fb ZTM), direct seeded rice followed by maize on permanent raised beds with residue (PBDSR+R fb PBDSM+R), PBDSR followed by PBDSM without residue (PBDSR-R fb PBDSM-R) and conventional tilled puddled transplanted rice fo