Indian Journal of Agricultural Research

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Research Article

Indian Journal of Agricultural Research, volume 55 issue 2 (april 2021) : 175-180

Impact of Cropping Systems and Resource Conservation Techniques on Productivity and Profitability of Systems

Shaukat Ali1,*, A.M. Patel2, Sangeeta Sharma3
1SMS Agronomy, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chandgothi, Churu-331 305, Rajasthan, India.
2AICRP on IFS, S.D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat-385 506, India.
3Department of Clothing and Textile Chemistry, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University, Jaipur-302 019, Rajasthan, India.
Cite article:- Ali Shaukat, Patel A.M., Sharma Sangeeta (2020). Impact of Cropping Systems and Resource Conservation Techniques on Productivity and Profitability of Systems . Indian Journal of Agricultural Research. 55(2): 175-180. doi: 10.18805/IJARe.A-5403.

ABSTRACT

Background: A suitable cropping system seem to be the possible solution to meet the continuous increase in demand for food, stability of income and diverse requirement of food grains. Selection of suitable cropping system for conservation of resources has prime importance now a day. The cropping systems selected in study have higher potential of production along with incorporable residues during winter. The residues of cotton, castor and mustard crops (Crops in selected cropping systems) have more potential to feed nutrients to soil as compared to burning. So incorporation of such crop residues in to soil helps to recycle the nutrients to correct their deficiencies. Farmyard manure is being used as major source of organic manure in field crops. Thus to maintain the soil health, integrated nutrient management approaches involving FYM and mineral source need to be standardized. So there is need to find out agronomically efficient and economically viable cropping system which can perform better for increasing productivity and profitability with association of conservation of natural resources.

Methods: The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Sixteen treatment combinations comprising of four cropping system treatments viz, C1 : Cotton- Summer Pearlmillet, C2 : Greengram + Kharif  Castor (Relay), C3 : Greengram - Mustard - Summer Pearlmillet and C4 : Greengram - Rabi Castor and two residue incorporation treatments viz, R0 : No residue incorporation and R1 : Residue incorporation as well as two fertilizer doses viz, F1 : 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer and F2 : 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM were evaluated in the study.

Result: Cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system found significantly superior by recording higher pearlmillet equivalent yield, system productivity and system profitability while, total weed count/m2 and total weed dry weight were found the lowest under greengram- kharif castor (relay) cropping system. Residue incorporation secured top position by recording significantly the highest pearlmillet equivalent yield, system productivity and system profitability as well as lowest total weed count/m2 and total weed dry weight. Application of 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM recorded significantly highest pearlmillet equivalent yield, system productivity and system profitability. In case of weed count and weed dry weight, 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer found significantly superior by recording lowest total weed count/m2 and total weed dry weight.  

INTRODUCTION

In spite of substantial gain in agriculture production over the past few decades, the task of meeting the food grains, feed, fodder and fuel needs of increasing human and livestock population remains a formidable challenge before scientific community. Though India is a food surplus nation at present with about 284.8 million tonnes food grain production per annum, it will require about 4-5 million tonnes additional food grains every year if the trend in rising population persists (Anonymous, 2018). This additional production has to come from existing land and water resources. The present situation is comfortable, but to meet the future demand, we would need better planning and resource management as well as intensification of crop production.
 
A suitable cropping system seem to be the possible solution to meet the continuous increase in demand for food, stability of income and diverse requirement of food grains. Inclusion of different crops provides ways to recycle products and by products of one crop as input another crop and reduce the cost of production, increase production and thus increase total income of farm (Ravisankar et al., 2007). The feasibility and popularity of any cropping system depend upon the availability of all resources along with the economical gain to farmers. Selection of suitable cropping system for conservation of resources has prime importance now a day. The cropping systems selected in study have higher potential of production along with incorporable residues during winter. Proper or integrated nutrient management involving conjunctive use of organic, inorganic and crop residues may improve soil productivity (Patra et al., 2000 and Kumar et al., 2001) and also develop sustainable system productivity (Raju and Reddy, 2000). The residues of cotton, castor and mustard crops have more potential to feed nutrients to soil as compared to burning. So incorporation of such crop residues in to soil helps to recycle the nutrients to correct their deficiencies.
 
Farmyard manure (FYM) is being used as major source of organic manure in field crops. Thus to maintain the soil health, integrated nutrient management approaches involving FYM and mineral source need to be standardized. Studies indicated that use of organic sources can help to maintain a better N: P ratio and can produce higher yield (Bakhtiar et al., 2002 and Khanam et al., 2001). The combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers will help to maintain soil productivity even under intensive cropping systems.So there is need to find out agronomically efficient and economically viable cropping system which can perform better for increasing productivity and profitability with association of conservation of natural resources.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soils of Agronomy Instructional Farm, C. P. College of Agriculture, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar (Gujarat) during the years 2012-13 and 2013-14 to study “Impact of cropping systems and resource conservation techniques on productivity and profitability of systems”. The soil of the experimental plot was low in organic carbon (0.20%) and available nitrogen (171 kg/ha), medium in available phosphorus (39 kg/ha), and potash (273 kg/ha) with particle density of 2.784 g/cc and bulk density of 1.639 g/cc. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Sixteen treatment combinations comprising of four cropping system treatments viz, C1: Cotton- Summer Pearlmillet, C2: Greengram + Kharif Castor (Relay), C3: Greengram - Mustard - Summer Pearlmillet and C4: Greengram - Rabi Castor and two residue incorporation treatments viz, R0: No residue incorporation and R1: Residue incorporation as well as two fertilizer doses viz, F1: 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer and F2: 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM were evaluated in the study. The ex-situ cotton, mustard and castor crop’s residues were incorporated during second fortnight of May month in respective treatments with the help of rotovator before initiation of experiment for making treatment equity. The quantity of residue (kg/ha) was calculated according to seed and straw ratio of different crops. During the 1st and 2nd year of experimentation in-situ cotton and mustard crop’s residue incorporation was done in second fortnight of February while castor in second fortnight of May month and field was prepared for sowing of next crop. According to nutrients content (0.5% N, 0.25% P2O5 and 0.5% K2O), the application of FYM for 25% Nitrogen was done in respective treatments before the sowing of each crop. There was no severe attack of insect and pest was observed during the entire growth periods of different crops. Pearlmillet crop was considered for equivalent yield because it is predominant crop of the region and it has less fluctuation of price as compared to other crop taken in experiment. The pearlmillet equivalent yield was calculated on the basis of formula given below.
 
 

Total human labours used in each crop season of a cropping system was recorded and then summed for calculating the employment generation of each cropping system. Weed count at harvest of each crop was taken using 1 m x 1 m quadrant placed in two randomly selected spots in each net plot. The total number of weeds were counted and recorded after converting the same to per square meter basis. Dry weight of weeds from each plot at the time of harvest was recorded from one square meter area. Weeds were uprooted from the selected area after that sun dried and the dry weight of weeds was recorded when weeds attained constant weight and expressed g/m2 for each plot.
 
Yield of different crops other than pearlmillet was converted in to pearlmillet equivalent yield according to prevailing market price. System productivity was calculated for different treatments by dividing equivalent yield (kg/ha) with days in a year. 
 
 
 
System profitability was calculated for different treatments by dividing net return (₹/ha) with days in a year. 
 
Sequence duration was calculated by sum the total growing days of a cropping system. Each season (kharif, rabi and summer) growing days was recorded and totaled for each cropping sequence duration calculation. Land use efficiency was calculated by using the following formula.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Effect of treatments on sequence duration and employment generation
 
Table 1 indicates that cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system required 337 days to complete the cropping sequence with 92.33% land use efficiency which was the maximum as compared to other cropping systems which indicates that land was continue cultivated. Only for 28 days in year land was on rest because cotton crop was followed by pearlmillet crop immediately after harvesting of cotton.
 
Among all treatments, treatment C3R0F2 (Greengram - mustard - summer pearlmillet + no residue incorporation + 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM) generated highest human labours (265 human labours). This might be due to three crops in sequence which required more labours for completing all operations.
 

Table 1: Sequence duration, land use efficiency and employment generation as influenced by different treatments (Mean data of 2012-13 and 2013-14).


 
Performance of cropping systems
 
Prevailing market price become an additional important factor in choosing the components of cropping systems and so sequence crop yields were converted into pearlmillet equivalent yield (Table 2 and Fig 1). Pearlmillet equivalent yield was significantly higher (15,241 kg/ha) with cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system than rest of the treatment but it remained at par with greengram - mustard - summer pearlmillet. The magnitude of increase in pearlmillet equivalent yield in cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system was to the tune of 8%, 44% and 57% over greengram - mustard - summer pearlmillet, greengram + kharif castor (relay) and greengram - rabi castor, respectively. Higher pearlmillet equivalent yield secured in cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system might be due to higher biomass production of cotton crop during kharif as well as summer pearlmillet gave higher yields when it is grown after cotton in sequence. These finding are in conformity with those reported by SDAU (2010) and SDAU (2011). They reported that cotton - summer pearlmillet was remunerative cropping system as compared to others.

Fig 1: Pearlmillet equivalent yield (kg/ha) in pooled data (2012-13 and 2013-14).


 

Table 2: Pearlmillet equivalent yield, system productivity, system profitability, total weeds count/m2 and total weed dry weight as influenced by different treatments (Pooled of 2012-13 and 2013-14).


 
System productivity in terms of pearlmillet equivalent yield was the highest in cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system (41.76 kg/ha/day) as depicted in Table 2. The magnitude of increase in system productivity in cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system was to the extent of 8%, 44% and 57% compared to greengram - mustard - summer pearlmillet, greengram + kharif castor (relay) and greengram - rabi castor. The system productivity was the highest in this treatment as a result of the higher quantity of yield produced. These findings are in close conformity with those reported by SDAU (2010), SDAU (2011) and SDAU (2013).
 
System profitability is a function of the quantity of yield produced, the cost of cultivation and the prevailing market price of the produce to obtain an overall net profit per day. System profitability among the treatments, in terms of net realization to the days in a year was significantly the highest in cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system (₹380/ha/day) as indicted in Table 2. Cotton - summer pearlmillet cropping system secured 19%, 52% and 81% higher profitability as compared to greengram - mustard - summer pearlmillet, greengram + kharif castor (relay) and greengram - rabi castor. Cotton and summer pearlmillet in the system gave an economic advantage in terms of the quantity of yield produced which resulted higher amount of net realization. These results lend support of the findings reported by SDAU (2010), SDAU (2011) and SDAU (2013).
 
The cropping system greengram + kharif castor (relay) proved its superiority by recording significantly the lowest total number of weeds per m2 and total weed dry weight of sequence. This might be due to dense crop canopy of greengram and kharif castor relay system restricted the weed growth by smothering effect which was also responsible for lower dry weight of weeds. In addition to this, sowing of relay castor required clean area between greengram rows reduced the weed infestation in greengram at harvest as castor crop was sown just before harvesting of greengram.
 
Effect of residue incorporation
 
Pearlmillet equivalent yield was significantly affected by residue incorporation treatments (Table 2 and Fig 1). Among the treatments in the experiment, the highest pearlmillet equivalent yield (13,306 kg/ha) was under residue incorporation which was 16% higher over no residue incorporation. Higher pearlmillet equivalent yield secured in treatment might be due to residue incorporation increased organic matter in soil and availability of nutrients to crops which resulted higher biomass production. These finding are in conformity with those reported by Kaleeswari et al., (2007), Singh et al., (2010) and SDAU (2011). Kaleeswari et al., (2007) observed that incorporation of crop residue in soil recorded higher grain yield of maize and maize grain equivalent yield. Singh et al., 2010 reported that incorporation of crop residues has improved the mean rice equivalent yields of system by 7.86% as compared to their removal. SDAU (2011) observed that residue incorporation significantly increased pearlmillet equivalent yield.
 
System productivity among the treatments, in terms of pearlmillet equivalent yield per day was highest in residues incorporation (36.46 kg/ha/day) as depicted in Table 2. The magnitude of increase in system productivity in residue incorporation was to the extent of 16% as compared to no residue incorporation. The system productivity was the highest in the residue incorporation as a result of the higher quantity of yield produced by application of residue in soil which increased organic carbon and helps to improve soil physico chemical properties.
 
From the evidence (Table 2) it seems that system profitability in terms of net realization per day was significantly the highest in residue incorporation (₹322/ha/ day). Residue incorporation secured 25% higher profitability as compared to no residue incorporation. Higher amount of net realization obtained in this treatment possibly the main reason for higher profitability.
 
Residue incorporation treatment rank first by recording significantly the lowest total number of weeds per m2 of sequence. This might be due to the organic acid produced by residues might have become barrier for germination of weeds. Moreover while incorporation of residue the upper layer of weed seeds placed at depth which is also responsible for lower number of weeds. Total weeds dry weight of sequence was found to be non-significant.
 
Effect of fertilizer dose
 
Among the treatments, the highest pearlmillet equivalent yield (12,824 kg/ha) was observed under 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM which was 7% higher over 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer (Table 2 and Fig 1). Higher pearlmillet equivalent yield secured in this treatment might be due to application of FYM which increased organic matter in soil and availability of nutrients to crops which resulted higher biomass production. These finding are in conformity with those reported by Kaleeswari et al., 2007, Patil et al., (2007) and Jat et al., (2011). Patil et al., (2007) recorded that application of recommended package of practice (½ N through urea + ½ N through FYM) registered significantly higher maize equivalent yield as compared to farmers practice except fertilizer + RDF. Jat et al., (2011) found that application of FYM 5 t/ha + 50% RDF to groundnut recorded significantly higher groundnut equivalent yield.
 
System productivity among the treatments, in terms of pearlmillet equivalent yield per day was the highest in treatment 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM (35.13 kg/ha/day) as depicted in Table 2. The magnitude of increase in system productivity in this treatment was to the extent of 7% as compared to 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer. The system productivity was the highest in this treatment as a result of the higher quantity of yield produced by application of FYM which increased organic matter in soil helps to improve soil physico chemical properties. These results lend support of the findings reported by Jat et al., (2011). They observed that use of organic and inorganic nutrients (FYM 5 t/ha + 50% RDF) to kharif groundnut recorded significantly higher total system productivity in term of groundnut equivalent yield over the use of inorganic nutrients.
 
From the evidence (Table 2) it seems that system profitability among the treatments in terms of net return per day was significantly the highest under 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM (₹297/ha/day). This treatment secured 5% higher profitability as compared to 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer. Higher amount of net realization obtained in this treatment possibly the main reason for higher profitability.
 
Interaction effect
Weed counts
 
Interaction effect of cropping systems and fertilizer dose (C x F) and residue incorporation and fertilizer dose (R x F) as well as cropping systems, residue incorporation and fertilizer dose (C x R x F) were found to be significant with respect to weed count.
 
From the interaction data (Table 2.1), it is revealed that treatment combination C2F1 (Greengram + kharif castor (relay) + 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer) recorded significantly the lowest total weeds (45.3) but was at par with combination C4F1. This might be due to the organic acid produced by residues might make a barrier for germination of weeds. Moreover while incorporation of residue, the upper layer of weed seeds placed at depth which is also responsible for lower number of weeds. Beside this, chemical fertilizer does not contain weed seeds which could be responsible for higher total weeds.
 

Table 2.1: Interaction effect of C x F, R x F and C x R x Fon numbers of weed per m2.


 
Residue incorporation + 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer (R1F1) recorded significantly the lowest total number of weeds (51.0).
 
The treatment combination C2R1F1 (Greengram + kharif castor (relay) + residue incorporation + 75% RDN through inorganic fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM) recorded significantly lower total number of weeds which was at par with C4R1F1 and C2R0F1. Lower number of weeds in this combination because greengram and kharif castor relay system suppress growth of weed by their dense crop canopy imparted smothering effect as well as residues incorporation reduced germination of weeds as seeds of weed placed deep during incorporation. Beside this, chemical fertilizer does not contain weed seeds which could be responsible for higher total weeds.
 
Weed dry matter
 
Combined effect of cropping systems and fertilizer dose (C x F) on total of weeds dry weight was found to be significant with respect to weed dry matter.
 
It is revealed (Table 2.2) that lower weed dry weight (86.5 g/m2) was recorded with treatment combination C2F1 (Greengram + kharif castor (relay) + 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizer) but it was at par with C4F1. Lower total number of weeds in this combination was main reason for low weed dry weight. This is true because the total number of weeds were less in this treatment combination.
 

Table 2.2: Interaction effect of C x F on total weed dry weight of sequence.

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