Diversification of rice based cropping systems for higher productivity profitability and soil health under irrigated condition

Abstract

These systems were meticulously assessed across multiple parameters including productivity, sustainability, soil fertility, resource-use efficiency, and economic viability. The cropping sequences under scrutiny encompassed diverse combinations such as rice-wheat-fallow, rice- wheat-green gram, rice-chickpea-greengram, rice-gram-cowpea (vegetable), rice-mustard- greengram, rice-linseed-blackgram, rice-berseem-sorghum, rice-oat-maize + cowpea, rice- pea-okra, and rice-potato-cowpea (vegetable). newlineAmong these systems, the rice-potato- cowpea (vegetable) cropping sequence emerged as the frontrunner, yielding the highest rice equivalent of 231.65 quintals per hectare per annum. Following closely was the rice-pea -okra and Rice-chickpea-green gram sequences in terms of productivity. Economically, the rice-potato-cauliflower system exhibited the most promising results, boasting a net return of Rs. 305740 per year, indicating not only high productivity but also substantial profitability. Furthermore, the study uncovered significant impacts of the various cropping sequences on critical soil fertility indicators, including available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic carbon content. These findings underscore the importance of strategic crop diversification in ameliorating soil health while simultaneously enhancing agricultural productivity and economic sustainability. By integrating a wider array of crop varieties into rotation schemes, farmers can mitigate soil degradation, optimize resource utilization, and bolster resilience against environmental stressors. Overall, this research underscores the imperative of adopting diversified cropping systems as a cornerstone of sustainable agricultural practices, offering practical insights for policymakers, researchers, and farmers alike in their pursuit of agricultural sustainability and food security. newline