Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research

S. K. Sharma ¹, S. S. Rana ¹, S. K. Subehia ¹, S. C. Negi ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agronomy, Forages and Grassland Management, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176 062, IN

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Production Efficiency, Economics, Yield, Rice Based Cropping Sequences.

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S. K. Sharma ¹, S. S. Rana ¹, S. K. Subehia ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agronomy, Forages and Grassland Management, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176 062, IN

Abstract

An on-farm experiment was conducted in sub-tropical low hills zone of Himachal Pradesh to study the response of major plant nutrients in maize-wheat cropping sequence. Five treatments viz. control, N, NP, NK and NPK at recommended rates to the component crops were evaluated at seventeen locations for the two consecutive cropping seasons of 2007-08 and 2008-09. Results of the study revealed that application of recommended dose of NPK resulted in significantly higher grain yield of maize and wheat, maize equivalent yield, gross return and net return over rest of the treatments. Recommended NPK resulted in 85% and 53% higher maize grain equivalent yield and INR 30150 and INR 24626 more net return over control and recommended N, respectively. The response in terms of kg grain per kg of nutrient applied was higher for applied phosphorus (20.85 kg maize grain equivalent) followed by potash (19.19) and nitrogen (5.69).

Keywords

Maize-Wheat, Cropping Sequence, Nutrients.

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