Effects of different tillage practices and cropping patterns on soil physical properties and crop productivity

A series of experiments using nine treatment combinations comprising three tillage
practices (zero tillage, conventional tillage and deep tillage) and three cropping patterns (wheatfallow-
T. aman, wheat–mungbean-T. aman and wheat-dhaincha-T. aman) were examined in a
split- plot design at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur, Bangladesh
during 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 to study the effect of different tillage practices and cropping
patterns on soil physical properties and crop productivity in a previously puddled soil. Soil
physical properties viz. bulk density, particle density and porosity showed insignificant result
due to tillage practices and cropping patterns but soil moisture retentive properties demonstrated
significant outcomes. Deep tillage with dhaincha (Sesbania rostrata) and mungbean (Vigna
radiata L. Wilczek) biomass incorporation conserved moisture in the soil profile and improved
other soil physical properties i.e. reduced the bulk density, increased porosity and available water
content of soil. The highest grain yield of wheat and rice was recorded in the deep tillage with
wheat-dhaincha-T. aman cropping pattern and lowest in zero tillage with fallow based cropping
pattern.