Energy utilization in maize-wheat cropping system in north west plain zone of India with the impact of paddy residue and weed management

A field experiment was conducted at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional
Research Station, Karnal, India during year 2020-21 and 2021-22 to optimize the use of
energy in maize-wheat cropping system. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design with
three replications. Factor A comprised of ten planting methods (zero-tillage sowing with
press wheel (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW, zero-tillage sowing with press wheel
(without residues) fb ZTW, ridge sowing with dibbling method (with paddy residues @ 6
t/ha) fb CTW), ridge sowing with dibbling method (without residues) fb CTW, multi crop
ridge planter (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb CTW, multi crop ridge planter (without
residues) fb CTW, raised bed wide bed planter (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW
(reshaping of beds), raised bed wide bed planter (without residues) fb ZTW (reshaping of
beds), pneumatic maize planter (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW and pneumatic maize
planter (without residues) fb ZTW) and factor B has four weed control treatments (unweeded
check, weedy check, tembotrione 120 g/ha at 15 DAS and topramezone 25.2 g/ha at 15 DAS)
in maize-wheat cropping system (MWCS). Raised bed wide bed planter (with paddy residues
@ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW (reshaping of beds) gave maximum maize and wheat yield which was
significantly higher than all the planting methods except zero-tillage sowing with press wheel
(with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) during both the year. The lower weed density and dry weight
of grassy, broad leaf and sedges was recorded with tembotrione 120 g/ha at 15 DAS 120
which was at par with topramezone 25.2 g/ha at 15 DAS while maximum weed density was
recorded in weedy check during both the years in maize crop and lowest weed density of
weeds were observed in raised bed wide bed planter (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW
(reshaping of beds). The maximum MEY (157.81, 159.17 kg/ha), net return (157128, 184941
₹/ha) and cost benefit ratio (1.73, 1.83) was obtained in raised bed wide bed planter (with
paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW (reshaping of beds) but at par with zero-tillage sowing with
press wheel (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb ZTW. The input energy productivity was
significantly higher in zero-tillage sowing with press wheel (with paddy residues @ 6 t/ha) fb
ZTW which was statistically at par with raised bed wide bed planter (with paddy residues @
6 t/ha) fb ZTW (reshaping of beds).