Effect of residue and weed management practices on weed flora, yield, energetics, carbon footprint, economics and soil quality of zero tillage wheat

A two-year field study was conducted during Rabi 2018–2019 and 2019–20 to find out the influence of different residue and weed management practices on weed dynamics, growth, yield, energetics, carbon footprint, economics and soil properties in zero-tilled sown wheat at Research Farm, AICRP-Weed management, SKUAST-Jammu. The experiment with four rice residue management practices and four weed management practices was conducted in a Strip-Plot Design and replicated thrice. The results showed that residue retention treatments recorded lower weed density, biomass and higher wheat growth, yield attributes and yields of wheat as compared to no residue treatment. The magnitude of increase in wheat grain yield was 17.55, 16.98 and 7.41% when treated with 125% recommended dose of nitrogen + residue + waste decomposer (RDN + R + WD), 125% RDN + R, and 100% RDN + R, respectively, compared to no residue treatment. Further, all three herbicidal treatments decreased weed density and biomass than weedy treatments. Consequently, a reduction of 29.30, 28.00, and 25.70% in grain yield were observed in control as compared to sulfosulfuron + carfentrazone, clodinafop-propargyl + metasulfuron, and clodinafop-propargyl + metribuzin, respectively. Moreover, 125% RDN + R + WD obtained significantly higher energy output (137860 MJ ha(−1)) and carbon output (4522 kg CE/ha), but 100% RDN had significantly higher net energy (101802 MJ ha(−1)), energy use efficiency (7.66), energy productivity (0.23 kg MJ(−1)), energy profitability (6.66 kg MJ(−1)), carbon efficiency (7.66), and less carbon footprint (7.66) as compared to other treatments. Despite this, treatments with 125% RDN + R + WD and 125% RDN + R provided 17.58 and 16.96% higher gross returns, and 24.45% and 23.17% net outcomes, respectively, than that of control. However, compared to the control, sulfosulfuron + carfentrazone showed considerably higher energy output (140492 MJ ha(−1)), net energy (104778 MJ ha(−1)), energy usage efficiency (4.70), energy productivity (0.14 kg MJ(−1)), energy profitability (3.70 kg MJ(−1)), carbon output (4624 kg CE ha(−1)), carbon efficiency (4.71), and lower carbon footprint (0.27). Furthermore, sulfosulfuron + carfentrazone, clodinafop-propargyl + metasulfuron, and clodinafop-propargyl + metribuzin recorded 29.29% and 38.42%, 27.99%, and 36.91%, 25.69% and 34.32% higher gross returns and net returns over control treatment, respectively. All three herbicides showed higher gross returns, net returns, and benefit cost ratio over control. The soil nutrient status was not significantly affected either by residue or weed management practices. Therefore, based on present study it can be concluded that rice residue retention with 25% additional nitrogen and weed management by clodinafop-propargyl + metasulfuron herbicide found suitable for zero tillage wheat.