Effect of bed planting systems and mulching on yield and economics of soybean and wheat in Soybean-Wheat cropping system under water stress condition in dry areas of Punjab

An experiment was conducted at Ludhiana, during Kharif and Rabi season on loamy sand soil consisting of twelve treatment combination arranged in split plot design and replicated three times with three bed planting, viz., Fresh bed (FB), Permanent bed (PB) and Alternate bed (FB/PB) in main plot two crop residue management viz., residue incorporation/ mulching (R) and no incorporation / no mulching (R0) and two seed rate/ nitrogen level viz., 75 kg ha-1 (S100) and 93.75 kg ha-1 (S125) / 90 kg N ha-1 (N90) and 120 kg N ha-1 (N120) in sub plot. In soybean treatment, R recorded significantly higher grain (22.60 q ha-1) and straw (44.50 q ha-1) yield as compared to R0. FB/ PB recorded highest grain (22.60 q ha-1) and straw (43.90 q ha-1) yield followed by PB (21.40 q ha-1) and FB (21.20 q ha-1). S125 recorded higher grain (22.30 q ha-1) and straw (44.80 q ha-1) yield then S100. Highest gross return (Rs ha-1), Net return (Rs ha-1), and B:C ratio was also obtained under FB/PB, R and S125 treatment as compared to other treatment . In wheat treatment FB recorded highest grain (41.40 q ha-1) and straw (53.60 q ha-1) then FB/PB and PB. R treatment recorded higher grain (41.10 q ha-1) and straw (53.30 q ha-1) yield then R0. N120 treatment recorded higher grain (41.20 q ha-1) and straw (53.30 q ha-1) yield. Highest net return (Rs 29442.20 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.05) was obtained under PB then FB and FB/PB. R0 treatment recorded higher net return (Rs 30873.86 ha-1) and B: C ratio (2.15) then R treatment. N120 treatment recorded higher net return (Rs 29402.56 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.0) under water stress condition in dry areas.