Yield of major crops as affected by recommended inputs under different water-table depths

The study was conducted at nine watercourses to evaluate and demonstrate the yield potential of the major crops with the application of agronomic recommendations. The command areas of nine selected watercourses represented water- table depths of less than 1, 1 - 2 and 2 - 3 meters. The texture of the selected fields was silt loam. The salinity of the fields varied from 1.0 to 3.6 dS/m and pH from 7.3 to 7.9. Major crops that were studied included cotton, rice, sugarcane, and wheat. The agronomic recommendations of the Punjab Agriculture Department, Extension Wing, Bahawalnagar, on variety, seed rate, and fertilizer were used for this study. Data on farmers' practices, collected earlier as a part of another study were used for comparison. The crops were sown in the recommended sowing periods, maintaining the appropriate line distance with a tractor - drawn drill. Sugarcane was planted using double set-line sowing. Recommended doses of Urea, Single Super phosphate and Potassium Sulphate were applied. Phosphorus and Potash were applied as all basal, while Nitrogen was applied in about three equal splits, one-third as basal and two- thirds during the crop growth period. Irrigations were applied at critical growth stages. Hoeing and weeding were undertaken to the extent that the crops were generally kept clean with a mono-crop appearance. Per hectare yield estimation was made on a whole plot basis. The agronomic recommendations increased the average yields by 46, 132, 97 and 92 percent for cotton, rice, sugarcane and wheat respectively, over the yields obtained by farmers under their management practices. Diversion to agronomic recommendations involved an average expenditure of 6113, 4676, 15303 and 5870 rupees per hectare for cotton, rice, sugarcane, and wheat, which resulted in a benefit of 15240, 16961, 27054, and 10273 rupees per hectare, respectively. Water- table depth less than 1 meter only favorable for rice under agronomic recommendations. Cultivation of cotton was economically feasible at water- table depths 1-2 and 2-3 m under both farmers and agronomic practices. The benefits cost ratios were 2.37, 2.89 and 2.21, 2.34, respectively. The ratio for rice at water- table depth 1-2 m was 1.28 under agronomic practices. The results of this study fully endorsed the need for drainage measures in the project area to lower the water table below one meter of the surface for better crop yields before the adoption of agronomic recommendations.