Table 5 Crop management practices for rice–wheat (RW) system under different scenarios.

Field preparation

Rice—2 pass of harrow, 1 pass of rotavator, 2 pass of puddle harrow followed by (fb) planking;

Wheat- 2 pass of harrow and rotavator each fb planking

Same as in Sc1

Rice-1 pass of harrow, 1 pass of cultivator fb planking;

Wheat-1 pass of harrow, 1 pass of cultivator fb planking

Rice—Same as in Sc3;

Wheat- Zero tillage

Zero tillage

Same as in Sc5

Seed rate (kg ha⁻¹)^b

Rice-12.5 kg and wheat100 kg

Same as in Sc1

Rice-20 kg and wheat-100 kg

Same as in Sc3

Same as in Sc3

Same as in Sc3

Crop geometry

Random geometry

Same as in Sc1

22–20 cm

Same as in Sc3

Same as in Sc3

Same as in Sc3

Source of fertilizers

Urea (46:0:0) and Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) (18:46:0)

Same as in Sc1

Urea, DAP, Muriate of potash (MOP) (0:0:60), and NPK complex (12:32:16)

urea (46:0:0), DAP, MOP and NPK complex

Same as in Sc4

Neem coated urea (46:0:0), DAP, MOP and NPK complex

Fertilizer (N:P:K) in kg ha⁻¹

Rice-195:58: 00;

Wheat- 185:58:00

Same as in Sc1

Rice-150:60:60;

Wheat- 150:60:60

Same as in Sc3

Rice-147:60:60 (in 1st year) 153:60:60 (in 2nd year) and 158:60:60 (in 3rd year);

Wheat- 143:60:60 (in 1st year), 120:60:60 (in 2nd year) and 134:60:60 (in 3rd year)

Rice-138:39:70 (in 1st year), 140:42:57 (in 2nd year) and 145:44:57 (in 3rd year);

Wheat-135:62:60 (in 1st year), 111:58:55 (in 2nd year) and 122:56:55 (in 3rd year)

Water management

Rice—Continuous flooding of 5–6 cm depth for 30–40 days after transplanting fb irrigation applied at alternate wetting and drying

Wheat- 4–6 irrigation as per requirement

Same as in Sc1

Rice—Soil was kept wet up to 20 days after sowing fb irrigation applied at hair-line cracks

Wheat- 4–6 irrigation as per critical crop growth stages

Same as in Sc3

Rice—Soil was kept wet till germination fb irrigation at − 20 to − 30 kPa matric potential;

Wheat- Irrigation at − 50 to − 55 kPa matric potential

Same as in Sc5