Productivity and water use in kharif sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) under different land configuration and mulching

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2007 and 2008 at Indore on medium black soil to study the effect of land configurations and mulches on performance of rainfed sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Fifteen treatment combinations consisted of three land configurations in the main plots viz. flat system, ridge and furrow system and flat sowing system with earthing at 25 days after sowing (DAS) and five mulches in the sub-plots viz. No mulch, wheat straw, farmyard manure (FYM), green weed biomass and Glyricidia leaves @ 6 tonne/ha applied at 30 DAS, replicated thrice, were arranged in split plot design. Results showed that ridge and furrow system recorded 16.7% and 28.6% increase in grain yield and additional income to the tune of 6,262/ha and $$11,225/ha in respective season when compared with flat system. Application of green weed biomass as mulch gave 24.1% and 20.9% more grain yield than without mulching and raised income to the tune of $$ 7,373/ha and $$ 8,884/ha with a net B:C ratio of 2.86 and 2.93. Ridge and furrow system of sowing and application of green weed biomass mulch improved the soil moisture conservation considerably. Significant interaction of land configuration and mulches was noted on grain yield.