Integrated assessment of diversification of rice-wheat cropping system in Indo-Gangetic plain |
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| Authors: | Ravi Kant Singh Jitendra Singh Bohra Triyugi Nath Yeshwant Singh Kalyan Singh |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Farmers' Welfare , Agriculture Development , Mandla, Madhya Pradeshrksingh_27@rediffmail.com;3. Departments of Agronomy , Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, India;4. Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry , Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, India;5. Farm Engineering, Institute of Agricultural Sciences , Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, India;6. Department of Farmers' Welfare , Agriculture Development , Mandla, Madhya Pradesh |
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| Abstract: | Diversification of rice-wheat cropping system may improve the productivity and sustainability of agricultural production in the Indo-Gangetic plane region (IGPR), but the choice of alternative sequences to be used requires integrated assessment of various crop sequences. A long-term field experiment was initiated during 2000–01 on sandy loam soil at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India to assess 10 rice-based cropping sequences – rice-wheat, rice-chickpea, rice-wheat-green gram, rice-wheat-Sesbania (green manure), rice-mustard-green gram, rice-lentil-cowpea (fodder), rice-pea, rice-lentil + mustard (3:1)-cowpea (fodder), rice-maize (cob) + vegetable pea (1:1)-cowpea (fodder) and rice-potato-green gram in randomized block design with four replications. The data contained in this paper are for the year 2002–03 and 2003–04. Substitution of rice-wheat with 300% intensity cropping sequences particularly with rice-potato-green gram resulted in maximum production cost but gave the highest system productivity, net return, benefit:cost ratio, production efficiency, profitability and energy productivity. Inclusion of summer grain/fodder legume or Sesbania for green manuring improved the content of soil organic matter. The soil P status was positively affected in all the sequences and particularly those with summer crops. Decline in soil available K in all the sequences indicated inadequacy of present recommended rate of fertilizer K to all the component crops in different sequences. |
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| Keywords: | diversification rice-wheat system economic study energy study nutrient balance |
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