Assessment of Water Productivity of Different Cropping Systems under Drip Irrigation in Arid Region of Western India

Abstract

The production potential of four different cropping system were assessed for two successive years in field conditions during 2008-2010 at ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur. Among the four different cropping systems evaluated, based on their production potential, ladyfinger-tomato-melon system gave the highest total yield (117.2 t ha^-1) under drip irrigation system. This system also gave the highest water use efficiency (1.73 kg m^-3) while the lowest consumptive use of water (97.5 cm) was registered in ladyfinger-gladiolus-melon system. In terms of the economics, tomato-gladiolus-ladyfinger crop sequence was the most economical followed by ladyfinger-tomato-melon under both irrigation systems (check basin and drip). The ladyfinger-tomato-melon crop sequence was ranked first with respect to production and WUE, whereas it ranked second with respect to net returns. From the present study it is clear that ladyfinger-tomato-melon is the most suitable cropping system under arid ecosystem of western India.