COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ZERO - TILLAGE CUM MULCHING WITH CONVENTIONAL POTATO PRODUCTION UNDER TRANSPLANTED RICE –POTATO CROPPING SYSTEM

Environmental problems such as GHG emissions like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane(CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from rice-residue burning, the over exploitation ofunderground water, land degradation, and productivity reductions in rice-based agricultural systemsis negatively impacting productivity of rice based cropping system and increasing environmentalconcerns. A field study was conducted at the research farm of ICAR- Central Potato ResearchInstitute RS, Patna (Bihar) during the Rabi seasons of 2022- 23 and 2023-24 with seven treatmentcombinations having Farmer’s practice, zero tillage + mulching, Regional AICRP/ ICAR-CPRIrecommendations, Flat-bed planting with slit, Flat-bed planting & mulching, Flat-bed planting& ridging and Flat-bed planting, ridging & mulching. Treatments were replicated thrice. Highestrice grain yield (5.1 t/ha) was recorded with Flat-bed planting, ridging & mulching (T7) whichwas statistically same compared to other treatments. Highest B:C (1.62) of rice cultivation wasrecorded with T7 which was statistically same compared to all other treatments. The highestnumber of total tubers was recorded with Zero tillage + mulching (T2) (624 thousand/ha) which wasstatistically same with all other treatments. The highest total tuber yield (26.8 t/ha) was recordedwith T2 which was significantly higher than all other treatments except T5 and T7. The highestnet return (`114554/ha) of potato was recorded with T5 which was significantly higher than allother treatments except T2. Highest water use efficiency of potato was recorded with T2 (76.63 kgtuber/ha-mm water) which was significantly higher than all other treatments except T5 and T7.The highest rice equivalent yield (14.86 t/ha) was highest with T2 which was significantly higherthan all other treatments except T5 and T7. Zero tillage in combination with paddy straw mulchwill enhance crop productivity, system sustainability, system vitality, economic profitability, andenvironmental quality.