The effects of conservation agriculture (CA) practices on soil properties along with crop yields of rice-based triple cropping systems have not been adequately assessed in Bangladesh. An experiment was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh from 2009 to 2012 to assess the effects of tillage practices and crop residue retention on soil physical properties, soil organic carbon (SOC) and crop yields in a wheat-mungbeanrice system. Treatments consisted of three tillage practices (MT: minimum tillage; CT: conventional tillage and DT: deep tillage) and eight levels of crop residue management (S 0 -no residues retention, S r -retention of 30 cm rice straw, S m -whole mungbean stover retention, S W -30 cm wheat straw retention, S mr -whole mungbean stover & 30 cm rice straw retention, S rw -30 cm rice & wheat straw retention, S mw -whole mungbean stover & 30 cm wheat straw retention and S wrm -30 cm wheat and rice straw along with whole mungbean stover retention) were applied in split plot design with three replications. Bulk density (BD) and porosity responded positively to MT and increased residue retention of all crops (p > 0.05). Minimum tillage and S wrm also significantly accumulated SOC (p < 0.05; 0.38% higher than DT with no residue retention) and retained soil moisture (p < 0.05). Minimum tillage practice performed better in upland crops (p < 0.05; wheat & mungbean yields) and CT outperformed MT in wetland rice crop (p < 0.05). The grain and straw yields of wheat and rice were also influenced by previous crop residue retentions (p < 0.05). The results, therefore, suggested that increased residue 2 retention with minimum tillage practices improved soil properties and yield of upland crops but with deeper tillage practices consistently maintained wetland rice production.

In intensive crop production systems, sustainable agricultural development strives to find the balance between productivity and environmental impact. To reduce the N fertilizer-associated environmental risks of intensive cropping, sound agronomic and environmentally acceptable management practices are urgently needed. To attain high yields, improve soil health, and ensure economic return and N usage efficiency in conservation-based intensive agriculture, N management must be optimized, which has not yet been studied systematically in the mustard-boro rice-aman rice cropping pattern. During 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19 cropping seasons in Bangladesh, cropping system experiments were conducted to investigate the interactive effects of tillage practices and nitrogen fertilizer rates on soil characteristics, crop productivity, and profitability under conservation agriculture (CA) systems. The trial featured two tillage systems: (i) conventional tillage (CT) and (ii) strip-tillage (ST). It also used three doses of N fertilizer: N1: 75% of the recommended N fertilizer dose (RND); N2: 100% of the RND; and N3: 125% of the RND. Each crop’s experiment was set up in a split-plot design with three replications, with the main plot assigned tillage practices and the sub-plot assigned nitrogen fertilizer rates. For rice, neither the tillage systems nor the interactions between the tillage systems and N levels affected any of the growth parameters, yield, and yield components, but the N levels did. Across the tillage systems, the rice grain and straw yield were similar for the N levels of 100% RND and 125% RND, which were significantly higher than the N level of 75% RND. In mustard, the highest seed yield was recorded from the tillage system ST, with an N level of 125% RND, which was at par with the tillage system ST with 100% RND and CT with 125% RND. The highest system rice equivalent yield (SREY, 14.9 to 15.8 t ha−1) was recorded from the tillage system ST, with an N level of 125% RND, which was at par with the same tillage system with an N level of 100% RND. The soil penetration and bulk density (BD) were higher for the CT than the ST, but soil organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and boron (B) content were higher for the tillage system ST than the CT. Across N levels, the tillage system CT had a 2–4% higher production cost than the ST. Total production cost increased as N levels increased across all tillage systems. The tillage system ST with an N level of 125% RND had the highest system gross return and net profit, which was at par with the same tillage system with 100% RND. This study suggested that farmers should apply slightly higher N for the mustard-boro-aman rice systems for the first couple of years when commencing CA; however, after a few years of consistent CA practice, the N rate may be reduced.

Zinc (Zn), boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo) are essential to increase the productivity of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) and help to maintain the soil fertility but mostly ignored. Hence, an experiment was conducted during the years of 2016 and 2017 to know the impact of Zn, B and Mo on mungbean yield, nutrient uptake, economics and soil fertility improvement. The experiments were planned in randomized complete block design including of eight treatments with three replications. The treatments were T1 = Control, T2 = Zn 2 kg ha-1, T3 = B 1.5 kg ha-1, T4 = Mo 1 kg ha-1, T5 = Zn2B1.5, T6 = Zn2Mo1, T7 = B1.5Mo1 and T8 = Zn2B1.5Mo1. The other fertilizers, N, P, K and S at 20, 20, 30 and 10 kg ha-1, respectively were used in all treatments. The results indicate that the highest seed yield (1522 kg ha-1) was obtained from T8 treatment followed by T7. The highest percent seed yield increment (51.6%) over control was achieved in T8 treatment. Most of the growth and yield contributing characters of mungbean were recorded highest in T8 treatment. The maximum nodulation (37.6) and highest amount of protein (24.3%) was also obtained from T8 treatment. The T8 treatment contributed positively to attain higher total uptake of N, P, K, S, Zn and B by mungbean. The combination of Zn, B and Mo is showed more productive compare to sole or couple use of these micronutrients. The T8 (Zn2B1.5Mo1 kg ha-1) treatment exhibited helpful effects on soil organic matter, total N, available P, Zn and B. This treatment also showed economically better on the basis of net return. Results of the present study suggest that the combination of Zn, B and Mo applied at 2, 1.5 and 1 kg ha-1, respectively could be recommended for mungbean cultivation.

The study was carried out at the field of Regional Pulses Research Station, Madaripur under Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) during Rabi season (winter) to evaluate the effect of different tillage practices on growth, yield attributes, nutrient uptake and yield of chickpea, and to compare between the zero tillage and tillage practice.The experiment was planned with five different tillage practices viz. Zero tillage (T 1 ), Single tillage (T 2 ), Two tillage (T 3 ), Three tillage (T 4 ) and Four tillage (T 5 ), and it was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Blanket dose of fertilizers of N, P, K, S, Zn and B at 20, 21, 30, 10, 3 and 1.5 kg ha -1 , respectively were used in all tillage treatments. The highest mean seed yield achieved (1395 kg ha -1 ) in zero tillage (T 1 ) followed by four tillage (T 5 ) practice. The maximum number of branches plant -1 and more number of pods plant -1 was recorded in zero tillage treatment. Nutrient content showed non-significant effect across most of the treatment. The highest nodulation and nutrient (N, P, K and S) uptake was also obtained from T 1 treatment. Tillage practices exhibited positive effects on soil properties. The highest soil organic carbon, total N, available P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Zn and B were found in zero tillage (T 1 ). Based on profitability, the zero tillage was economically viable with compared to tillage practice. Although this practice (T 1 ) saves the money about 3.8% to 13.7% and time also saves minimum 8 days for succeeding crops. So, the present study suggests that zero tillage practice could be implemented in the high and medium high land for chickpea cultivation. Low income farmers may practice the zero tillage technology. Future research should be carried out to evaluate the suitable rate of nutrient in zero tillage (conservative tillage) practice for yield maximization of chickpea and sustaining soil fertility.