<div>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 &nbsp;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. &nbsp;</div>

<div>Impact of Cropping Systems and Resource Conservation Techniques on Productivity and Profitability of Systems</div>

Background: Cropping system is an essential component of a farming system. Farmers use a variety of cropping systems based on their expertise, scientific validation is essential before recommending a certain cropping system for a specific area. The purpose of the study was to determine the yield and profitability of a diversified intensive cropping system with nutrient management strategies that are more productive and profitable than existing ones for Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s North Western Zone.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: With four replications, the experiment was set up in a strip plot style. Five treatments were used, one of which included intensive diversified cropping systems viz., C1: Groundnut-chillies-greengram, C2: Groundnut + redgram (6:1)-sorghum-blackgram, C3: Maize + fodder cowpea (1:1) - sunflower-greengram, C4: Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato-blackgram, C5: Brinjal + onion (1:2) - cowpea-sunnhemp were taken in main-plots and five nutrient management practices treatments were imposed in sub-plots, including farm yard manure at 12.5 t/ha and vermicompost at 2.5, 5 and 7.5 t/ha, as well as fertilisers at variable levels of 100, 75 and 50 per cent were imposed in sub-plots.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Higher total system groundnut equivalent yield was recorded in Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato - blackgram cropping system with respect to nutrient management it was recorded higher in farmyard manure @ 12.5 t/ha along with application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer. Higher B:C ratio and net return was recorded in Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato - blackgram cropping system in terms of nutrient management it was recorded higher in farmyard manure @ 12.5 t/ha along with application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer.

Production and Profitability of Diversified Intensive Cropping System Suitable for North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu

<div>Background: An intensive cropping system involving legume and vegetable crops not only highly productive and profitable but should also be stable over time and maintains soil health in present scenario. So, keeping this point in view the present investigation was carried out to evaluate the productivity, profitability and sustainability of legume entailing different ultra high intensity rice based cropping system models under irrigated sub-tropics.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The field experiment was conducted at Research Farm, SKUAST-Jammu, Main Campus, Chatha for two consecutive years from kharif 2019 to summer season of 2021. The experiment consisting of five legume entailing rice based cropping system models of cropping intensity varying from 300-600% viz. T1: Rice (Basmati-370) - Wheat (HD-3086) - Cowpea (Lobia Super-60) having 300% cropping intensity, T2: Rice (Basmati-564) - Potato (Kufri Badshah) - Wheat (Raj-3765) - Mixed fodder (Maize+Cowpea+Charri in 2:2:1 ratio) having 400% cropping intensity, T3: Rice (SJR-129) - Knol khol (G-40) - Potato (Kufri Sindhuri) - Green gram (IPM 02-3) having 400% cropping intensity, T4: Rice (Pusa-1121) - Radish (CR-45) - Green onion (Nasik Red) - French bean (Anupama) - Okra (Seli special) having 500% cropping intensity in relay cropping from fourth crop onwards and T5: Rice (IET-1410) - Fenugreek (JF-07) - Knol khol (G-40) - Green onion (Nasik Red) - Dry onion (Selection-1) - Black gram (Pant U-19) having 600% cropping intensity in relay cropping from third crop onwards was laid out in a randomized block design with four replications. 
 
Result: The results obtained under two years research study revealed that treatment T4 recorded significantly highest basmati-370 rice equivalent system productivity followed by treatment T5. Further, treatment T4 also recorded highest system cost of cultivation, system gross returns and system net returns. System soil fertility status in terms of available NPK after completion of second crop cycle was significantly affected. Among different cropping systems, significantly higher available nitrogen and phosphorus were recorded in treatment T5 system which was at par with treatment T4.</div>

Performance of Diversified Legume Entailing Ultra High Intensity Rice based Cropping System Models for Higher Productivity, Profitability and Sustainability

<div>A field experiment was conducted at Instructional Farm of ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tura during kharif, pre-rabi and rabi season of 2011-12 to 2013-14 to determine the suitable production potential, profitability, resource use efficiency and sustainability of diversified maize-legumes cropping system. The five cropping sequences viz., CS1: Maize + Blackgram (1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (2:1) &ndash; tomato, &nbsp;CS2: maize + green gram(1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (2:1) &ndash; tomato, CS3: maize + groundnut(1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (2:1) &ndash; tomato, &nbsp;CS4: maize + Ssybean(1:2) &ndash; tomato and CS5: maize sole &ndash; green gram &ndash; tomato were replicated four times using a randomized block design on sandy loam soil with low to medium fertility level and slightly acidic in reaction. The cropping system &ldquo;Maize + Green gram(1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (1:1) &ndash; tomato&rdquo; was found to be most remunerative and sustainable with system productivity (175.49 q/ha), net return (Rs.3,38,725/ha), profitability (Rs. 928.01 /ha/day), benefit cost ratio (4.40), sustainable yield index (1.00), production efficiency (Rs.58.30/ha/day), relative economic efficiency (162.72%), except land use efficiency(LUE) which was the highest (85.75%) in &nbsp;&ldquo;maize + groundnut(1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (1:1) &ndash; tomato&rdquo; cropping system. The lowest system productivity, net returns, profitability, production efficiency, land use efficiency etc was found in maize+ soybean (1:2)- tomato followed by maize-greengram-tomato cropping system. Hence, the cropping sequence maize + green gram(1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (1:1) &ndash; tomato &nbsp;and maize + groundnut(1:2) &ndash; green gram + maize (1:1) &ndash; tomato were found to be the productive, profitable, remunerative, resource use efficient and sustainable &nbsp;in the mid hills sub-tropical regions of India.</div>

<div>Sustainable diversification of maize (Zea mays L.) -legumes cropping systems for productivity, profitability and resource-use efficiency in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India</div>

Background: Dairy-based integrated farming systems in the coastal region of West Bengal act as a climate-resilient agriculture practice. The present study examined four predominant dairy-based integrated farming systems (IFS) adopted in coastal West Bengal, focusing on the economic analysis of their interconnected components and pathways to profitability.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The study used stratified random sampling methods to collect 150 farmers from 25 villages in Coastal West Bengal. To quantify the interdependence amongst various components of farming systems, Leontief static input- output model has been used. Stochastic profit frontier model had been used for analysing the profit efficiency. 
 
Result: The study found Dairy + Fishery farming system had the highest profitability of INR 328139 /ha/annum. However, it has shown the lowest mean profit efficiency (0.55). This system can increase its profitability by the more veterinary expenditure per SAU and area under fishery (Ha) in IFS model. Among all the linkages of various enterprises in IFSs, crop-to-dairy linkage in Dairy + Crop + Fishery (Input-output coefficient: 0.09) farming system was the strongest one. The study recommends targeted policy support, including subsidies on fish feed and fingerlings and financial assistance for small and marginal farmers, to foster the growth of the dairy-based farming systems.

Economic Inter-linkage Analysis of Dairy-based Integrated Farming Systems and Pathways to Profitability in the Coastal Region of West Bengal

Background: Legume cropping systems are widely recognized for their potential to enhance productivity, improve resource use efficiency and increase farm income under diversified cropping situations. However, the performance of such systems largely depends on the choice of compatible crop combinations and their suitability to different seasons. In many parts of North-Western India, continuous dominance of cereal-based cropping has resulted in stagnation of system productivity and profitability. Therefore, evaluation of season specific cereal-legume strip cropping systems is necessary to identify productive and economically viable cropping options. 
 
Methods: A field investigation was carried out during summer (zaid) and kharif of 2024 and 2025 at the Research Farm, Division of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu. The experiment comprised of nine cereal legume strip cropping systems arranged in a randomised block design with three replications. Various combinations of fodder (maize, sorghum and bajra) and legumes (mash, mungbean, cowpea and soybean) were assessed for their effect on yield attributes, equivalent yields and economic returns. 
 
Result: The findings indicated that both productivity and profitability of the cropping systems differed significantly among seasons. Certain cereal legume combinations, particularly those involving mungbean and mash during summer (zaid) and soybean during kharif, consistently produced higher yields and system productivity. These systems also recorded higher gross and net returns along with better benefit cost ratio, thereby proving their economic advantage over the other cropping systems.

Productivity and Profitability of Cereal Legume Strip Cropping System In North Western Plains of India

Background: Incidence of fall armyworm in maize has been reported at a severe level since 2018 resulting in low yield and in extreme cases complete failure of the crop. In view of undesirable effects of unilateral reliance on chemicals, greener avenues like intercropping needs to be explored, which promise to subside pests, as well as, provide higher income to cultivators. 
 
Method: Field experiment was conducted from 2019 to 2021consecutively for three years to investigate the consequences of intercropping with legumes viz., red gram (Cajanus cajan L.), black gram (Vigna mungo L.), green gram (Vigna radiata L.&nbsp;), cowpea (Vigna unguiuculata L.), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and soybean(Glycine max&nbsp;L.) on incidence of fall armyworm in maize and the cost economics involved. 
 
Result: Among the different intercrops studied, maize+cowpea recorded significantly lowest mean per cent infested plants (45.0 per cent) at 75 days after sowing which was on par with maize+green gram (45.5 per cent). The next effective intercropping system was maize+black gram (55.7 per cent) followed by maize+red gram (58.2 per cent).&nbsp; Maize as a sole crop recorded the highest mean per cent infested plants (76.3 per cent) at 75 days after sowing. The system equivalent yield (SEY) of the intercropping systems under study ascertained that the maize+cowpea achieved highest SEY of 5230 kg per ha followed by maize+green gram (5160 kg per ha) followed by maize+black gram (4900 kg per ha). Upon comparison of the benefit cost ratio (BC ratio), the maize+cowpea proved to be the most profitable with BC ratio of 4.11 followed by maize+ green gram (4.05) followed by maize+black gram (3.85), whereas, sole maize recorded minimum BC ratio of 2.87.

Legume based Profitable Intercropping System for Management of Fall Armyworm in Maize

Background: A combination of maize and legume, cabbage and potato in intercropping benefits the agricultural production system due to different peak period of growth and synergistic effects, which reflected into yield advantage. In order to reduce nutritional competition and the yield gaps between actual production and production potential for both crops in the intercropping system, more information is required for the optimization of maize-based intercropping systems. So, keeping above fact in mind, the present study was undertaken to find out the suitable rabi maize based intercropping system for augmenting productivity and profitability of maize. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted on the farmer&rsquo;s field of selected villages of KVK Bhagalpur (on-farm trials) during the winter (rabi) season of 2020-21 and 2021-22 on rabi maize to validate, refine and popularize the technology developed at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur (Bihar) and ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana, for enhancing the productivity and profitability of rabi maize. The experiment, comprising four treatments, viz., sole rabi maize (farmer&rsquo;s practice), maize + potato (1:1 row ratio), maize + vegetable pea (1:2 row ratio) and maize + cabbage (1:1 row ratio), was arranged in a randomized block design (RBD) with five replications. All five farmers selected for experimentation were treated as replications. 
 
Result: Experimental results revealed that all three intercropping associations of maize + vegetable pea (1:2 row ratio), maize + potato (1:1 row ratio), maize + vegetable pea (1:2 row ratio) and maize + cabbage (1:1 row ratio) produced significantly higher maize equivalent yields than the sole crop of rabi maize. However, among the intercropping systems, maize + vegetable pea (1:2 row ratio) produced the highest maize equivalent yield (241.0 q/ha) and significantly incurred the highest net return (322093 ₹ /ha), as well as a higher B: C ratio (6.04) than the rest of the intercropping systems as well as sole crop of rabi maize.

Evaluation of Rabi Maize-based Intercropping System for Augmenting the Productivity and Profitability of Rabi Maize under Irrigated Conditions of Bihar

<div>Background: Conservation agriculture (CA), an agricultural production system with optimum inputs, high returns and sustainability while conserving environment is primarily required for command areas and rainfed uplands. CA helps to improve and conserve soil health through crop rotation, mulching, minimum field traffic and mechanical soil disturbance etc and conserve water to achieve economically and ecologically sustainable crop production. 
 
Methods: The field experiment was conducted for two years during 2019-21 to evaluate the influence of conservation agricultural practices on the system productivity, production efficiency and energy use under legume based cropping system in a command area. Treatments comprised of four cropping systems as Groundnut - foxtail millet (C1), Groundnut - barnyard millet (C2), Daincha - foxtail millet (C3) and Daincha - barn yard millet (C4) in main plots and foliar application of organics, 3% panchagavya, 1% PPFM and 0.1% humic acid formed subplots. 
 
Result: System productivity in terms of Groundnut equivalent yield (GEY) was significantly higher (8395 kg/ha) in the Groundnut - Barnyard millet cropping system with foliar application of PPFM 1% in CA system than that of conventional method. The production efficiency was maximum in Groundnut - barnyard millet system (34.41 kg/ha/day) and Groundnut - foxtail millet recorded the highest energy use efficiency (6.8%) which shows that maximum energy was effectively utilized under the system. Daincha - foxtail millet system had highest energy productivity of 0.91 kg M/J. Thus, the conservation tillage based Groundnut - barnyard millet system recorded more system productivity, highest resource use efficiency (both production and land use efficiency) and the highest energy use efficiency.</div>

​Conservation Agriculture Practices: Impact on Productivity, Energy Utilisation and Profitability of Legume-based Cropping System

Background: The continuing adoption of the rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) and indiscriminate use of inorganic fertiliser has led to a decrease in soil fertility, an increase in multiple micronutrient deficiencies, a decrease in the water table and excessive greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the Indo Gangetic Plains. Adoption of crop diversification strategies, including legumes in cropping systems with integrated use of organic and inorganic nutrient sources, could be a viable option for achieving higher fodder tonnage and sustainable crop production in aforesaid ecologies. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the kharif, rabi and summer seasons of 2018-19 and 2019-20 in a split-plot design comprising four cropping systems (CS) i.e., rice-wheat, rice-berseem, pearl millet-oats-moong bean and maize-cowpea-wheat in main plots; and four nutrient management (NM) practices i.e., 100% RDF (recommended dose of fertiliser), 100% RDF + cow urine (foliar spray), 100% RDF + PGPR (seed treatments) and 75% RDF + cow urine + PGPR were assigned in sub-plots with three replications of each treatment.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Investigations revealed that the significantly highest system productivity, net returns and higher nutrient availability were obtained under the rice-berseem cropping system with 100% RDF + PGPR treatment. The magnitude of increment in system productivity of the rice&ndash;berseem cropping system was 35.06, 57.87 and 87.29% over rice-wheat, maize-cowpea-wheat and pearl millet-oats-moong bean cropping system, respectively. The legume-based cropping system has strengthened and sustained crop productivity and profitability. The results of the present work confirmed that the adoption of legume-based crop diversification has significantly alleviated the crop yield of dairy-based farming systems.

Productivity and Profitability of Diversified Legume-based Cropping Systems in the Indo-gangetic Plains of India as Influenced by Nutrient Management