Economic evaluation of different treatment combination of paddy straw and Halo-CRD biodecomposer with inorganic fertilizers of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop

The study assessed the impact of paddy straw management practices, including the use of the Halo-CRD bio-decomposer combined with inorganic fertilizers, on wheat productivity and soil health in the subtropical region of Prayagraj during the Rabi seasons of 2020–21 and 2021-22. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of integrated residue management in improving crop productivity and economic viability. Treatment T7 (100% rice residue treated with Halo-CRD bio-decomposer + 100% RDF) consistently outperformed others, achieving the highest grain yield (63.31 q ha{¹ pooled), straw yield (92.51 q ha{¹ pooled), biological yield (155.82 q ha{¹ pooled), and net returns (73,294 ha{¹ pooled). While minimum grain yield (25.77 q ha{¹ pooled), straw yield (43.95 q ha{¹pooled), biological yield (69.72 q ha{¹.pooled), economic returns. In 2018-19, GR was Rs. 49,222 ha{¹ with NR of Rs. 12,722 ha{¹, resulting in a B:C ratio of 1:1.35, recorded in T1 (absolute control). Treatments with reduced RDF levels (T8 and T9 ) showed moderate performance in terms of productivity and profitability. The findings advocate integrating rice residue management with microbial decomposers like Halo-CRD and balanced fertilization to enhance wheat productivity and net returns.