Impact of crop diversity and sowing methods on soil characteristics, water productivity, economics, and productivity in cropping systems based on wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Abstract

The current cereal crop-based system and traditional heavy ploughing and sowing techniques have been reducing soil fertility, which
has led to low grain production and quality. It becomes essential to diversify cereal crops using legume-based cropping systems with
conservation technology-based tillage and crop sowing techniques in order to increase system-based yield. In order to collect the
wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-based four cropping systems with rainy (kharif) season crops, such as pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum
(L.) R. Br.], pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.], greengram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper], and clusterbean [Cyamopsis
tetragonoloba (L.) Taub], a study was conducted from 2018–2022 at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior,
Madhya Pradesh. Grain yield, net returns, wheat equivalent yield, system protein production, water productivity, net energy gains,
energy productivity, and soil physico-chemical properties were all significantly improved by wheat-based cropping systems, while
cultivation costs, total water use, and energy input under permanent broad bed-furrow were reduced compared to traditional tillage
and sowing methods. Similarly, pigeonpea-wheat cropping considerably outperformed pearl millet-wheat cropping in terms of system-
based wheat equivalent yield, system protein productivity, extra net returns, net energy gains, energy productivity, and indices of soil
physico-chemical characteristics. The experiment's findings indicated that adding legume crops during the rainy season and seeding
crops using a permanent broad-bed furrow irrigation technique might increase the productivity and profitability of a wheat-based
cropping system.