Production Potential and Sustainability of rice-based cropping system under irrigated conditions of eastern U.P.

Abstract

A field experiment was planned and conducted during the Rainy (Kharif) and winter (Rabi) seasons of 2021-22 and in the Summer (Zaid) season of 2022 at Agronomy Research Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P.) to investigate the production potential of rice-based cropping systems under the irrigated condition of eastern U.P. The experiment was designed in randomized block design with three replications and ten treatments viz. Rice(Oryza sativa L.)-Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)-Fallow, Rice-Wheat-Green gram(Vigna radiata L.), Rice-French bean(Phaseolus vulgaris L.)-Green gram, Rice-Chickpea(Cicer arietinum L.)-Cowpea(Vigna unguiculata L.), Rice-Mustard (Brassica juncea L.)-Green gram, Rice-Linseed(Linum usitissimum L.)-Black gram(Vigna Mungo L.),Rice-Berseem(Trifolium alexandrium L.)-Sorghum( Soghum Bicolor L.),Rice-Oat (Avena Sativa L.)-Maize(Zea Mays L.)+Cowpea, Rice-Cauliflower(Brassica Oleracea L.)-Okra(Abelmoschus esculentus L.), Rice-Potato(Solanum tuberosum L.)-Cowpea. The results revealed that the common seed yield of paddy (4195 kg/ha) was recorded during the Kharif season. After paddy harvesting, the succeeding rabi crops were sown in harvested paddy fields and after that summer season, crops were sown in the same field. The maximum Rice Equivalent Yield was recorded (20160 kg/ha) with the Rice-Potato Cowpea cropping system, which was significantly higher than the other. System profitability was also found to be maximum (Rs.727.22/ha/day) in Rice-Potato-Cowpea and the lowest profitability was found in Rice-Berseem-Sorghum (Rs.251.33/ha/day). The Rice-Potato-Cowpea cropping system recorded the maximum Net return (Rs.265435/ha) and B:C ratio (2.11). The highest system productivity 298.90 kg/ha/day was recorded by the Rice-Berseem-Sorghum sequence followed by rice–oat-maize + cowpea (287.50 kg/ha/day).