Agronomic and economic performances of different cropping systems in a hot, arid environment: A case study from North-western Rajasthan, India
文摘
A four-year field experiment was conducted in order to assess the productivity and economic potential of five cropping systems, with two tillage (conventional and deep) and four nutrient management [no application, farm yard manure (FYM) at 5聽t聽ha<sup>鈭?sup>, chemical fertilizer (CF), FYM at 5聽t聽ha<sup>鈭?sup>聽+聽CF] treatments in a hot, arid environment at Bikaner, India. Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br], cluster bean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] and moth bean [Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal] were grown in five rotations. The five rotations were: moth bean-pearl millet, cluster bean-pearl millet, moth bean-cluster bean, pearl millet-pearl millet and pearl millet聽+聽cluster bean-pearl millet聽+聽cluster bean. The moth bean-cluster bean cropping system recorded 21-148%, 36-246% and 33-178% higher equivalent yields, return and water use efficiency, respectively than other cropping systems. Deep tillage increased equivalent yields by 20% higher than conventional tillage. The combined application of CF and FYM recorded 15 and 32% higher equivalent yields than their respective sole application. In this hot, arid ecosystem, a legume-legume system was more productive and profitable than other systems, and higher crop yields could be achieved by combining deep tillage with the integrated use of CF and FYM.
