PRODUCTION OF WINTER CEREALS AS RELAY CROPS BY SURFACE SEEDING IN COTTON BASED CROPPING SYSTEM

Abstract

Rabi cereals were sown by surface seeding in standing water in one half of standing cotton and by conventional method in the second half after harvest of the cotton. Relaying wheat by surface seeding produced 69.37% higher grain yield than sowing after harvest of cotton and by this technique increase in barley yield was 22.84% over conventional planting. Yield, yield components, and quality traits of cotton were not affected significantly by any of the relay cropping systems. Substantially higher net field benefit was obtained from relay cropping system as compared to wheat followed by cotton. Among cotton based cereal production cropping patterns,  cotton/wheat proved better relay cropping system.