Economic evaluation of conservation tillage options for deciding the feasibility of their adoption

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate two important conservation tillage practices namely zero tillage in wheat and bed planting for growing vegetables for deciding the economic feasibility of their adoption in Gohana and Kharkhoda block of Sonipat district in Haryana. In first scenario, comparison were made between Puddled transplanted rice followed by conventional tilled wheat (PTR – CTW), and puddled transplanted rice followed by zero till wheat (PTR – ZTW). In second scenario, conventionally tilled Jowar in kharif followed by conventionally tilled wheat system (CTJ – CTW) was compared with vegetables on beds in both seasons (BV-BV). Sowing of wheat by zero till drill in PTR – ZTW system, decreased cost of cultivation by 21% over its value of Rs 20688 in PTR – CTW treatment; increased grain yield by 5% over the grain yield of 5.99 t ha-1 in PTR – CTW treatment. The B: C ratio of PTR – ZTW was 4.65 while that of PTR – CTW treatment was 3.24, which indicated economic viability of zero tillage practice. While in case of cauliflower in BV-BV system, the total cost of cultivation was estimated at Rs 51500/ha and net returns of Rs 38072/ha i.e an increased net return of 5.8 times over the net return of Rs 46223.5 in CTJ – CTW treatment. The B: C ratio of BV-BV was 5.21, while that of CTJ – CTW treatment was 2.35. Thus, it was concluded that in rabi season, cauliflower on beds and zero till wheat are most economically viable options in this temporary waterlogged regions of Yamuna basin