Performance of rice based cropping sequences under different production systems in irrigated subtropics of Jammu

Abstract

An investigation entitled Performance of rice based cropping sequences under different production systems in irrigated subtropics of Jammu was conducted at the Research Farm of AICRP-IFS,Farming System Research Centre, Main Campus, Chatha of SKUAST-Jammu during the kharif, rabiand summer seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24to explore the production potential of identified cropping sequences and to assess the change in soil health, quality and economic viability of the crop sequences under different production system. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction, low in available nitrogen and medium in organic carbon, phosphorus and potassium. newlineThe experiment consisted oftwelve treatments combinations with three replications were laid out in split plot design.The treatments consisted of three cropping sequence viz.rice-broccoli-black gram, rice-wheat-green manuring and rice-berseemin main plot and four different production system vizabsolute control, organic farming, conventional farming, natural farmingin sub plots.In different cropping sequences all the crop recorded best result under conventional farming followed by organic farming, natural farming, absolute control. Among three of the given cropping sequences rice-broccoli-black gram cropping sequence in combination with conventional farming recorded to be best in terms of rice equivalent yield (12859.56 kg/ha) in 2022-23 and (13313.50 kg/ha) in 2023-24 followed by organic farming (11040.92 kg/ha) and (11481.77kg/ha). newlineHowever,cropping sequence rice-broccoli-black gramin combination with conventional farming recorded highest benefit-cost ratio (2.28) in 2022-23 and (2.38) in 2023-24 followed by rice-berseem with natural farming production system due to low cost of cultivation under natural farming (2.21) and (2.25). In terms of soil health rice-wheat-green manuring cropping sequence in combination with organic farming resulted significantly higher organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and also increase