Production Potential of Rice-Based Cropping Sequences on Farmers' Fields in Low Hills of Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh

Five rice-based cropping sequences viz. rice-wheat, rice - radish - potato, rice - garlic, rice-potato-onion and rice-berseem + oats were evaluated on cultivators' fields for their production potential and economic feasibility in the low hills of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Results revealed that rice-potato-onion, rice - garlic and rice-radish-potato cropping sequences were more remunerative resulting in significantly higher rice equivalent yield (16342, 10997 and 12394 kg/ha/annum, respectively), net returns (INR 153257, 102767 and 106414/ha/annum), productivity and profitability. Rice-potato-onion, rice-radish-potato and rice-garlic cropping sequences resulted in 203.3, 130.1 and 104.1% higher rice equivalent yield over the traditional rice-wheat cropping sequence, respectively. Rice - berseem + oats was also superior to conventional rice - wheat cropping sequence in influencing rice equivalent yield, net returns, B:C and productivity and profitability. In terms of total calories, only rice - potato - onion and rice-radish-potato cropping sequences could excel over the rice-wheat sequence. Conventional rice - wheat cropping system was superior to all the new cropping systems in terms of energy intensity both in physical as well as economic terms. Land use efficiency ranged between 65.7 (rice-radish -potato) and 78.1% (rice-potato-onion) under different cropping systems.