The Effects of Different Rice-Wheat Cropping System on Crop Productivity and Soil Fertility

Abstract

This research looks at how introducing different crops into the regular rice–wheat system affects the yield, health of the soil and sustainability in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. From 2020 to 2023, a field experiment was done using RCBD and repeated the treatment four times. Among others, the study also tested four cropping systems: Rice–Wheat (RW), Rice–Maize–Wheat (RMW), Rice–Legume–Wheat (RLW) and Rice–Vegetable–Wheat (RVW). Among the main factors studied were grain yield, SPI, the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) and supplies of N, P and K nutrients. Research results demonstrated that systems with diversity did much better than the RW standard. RMW gave the greatest amount of grain yield produced per hectare (26.1 kg/ha/day for SPI and 8.76 t/ha for REY) and RLW came in second with (24.7 kg/ha/day and 8.23 t/ha). In RLW, there was a 23.8% rise in SOC and the amount of available N, P and K was improved in all diversified systems. RLW had a bigger quantity of microbial biomass carbon which suggests more lively soil biology. The two platforms demonstrated enhanced use of water. According to the analysis, ratio analysis demonstrated that both RMW and RLW outperformed RW, with RMW at number 2.6 and RLW at number 2.5. Analyze the results reveal that adding legume or maize crops to rice or wheat can boost yields, improve how health the soil is and raise profits. Diversifying the kinds of crops grown is a safe climate-resistant strategy for intensifying farming in areas that focus on rice and wheat.