Productivity, profitability and energy-use efficiency of different cropping sequences in northern transition zone of Karnataka

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at Dharwad during 2005-06 and 2006-07 to identify most productive, resource-use efficient and remunerative cropping sequence for northern transition zone of Karnataka under rainfed condition. The treatments consisted of 24 treatment combinations (cropping sequences) of six kharif crops (potato, groundnut, soybean, Frenchbean for grain and vegetable and mungbean) which formed the main plots and four rabi crops (wheat, sorghum, chickpea and sunflower), which formed the sub-plots were grown in sequence. Among the cropping sequences, potato– sunflower and potato–chickpea recorded significantly higher groundnut equivalent yield (6 691 and 6 428 kg/ha, respectively), production efficiency (30.41 and 34.75 kg/ha/day), net returns (` 842 620 and 80 165/ha, respectively), energy-use efficiency (278.53 and 285.96 kg/1 000 MJ) and economic efficiency (` 383.01 and ` 433.32/ha/day) over the others. Land-use efficiency was highest with groundnut–sunflower and groundnut–sorghum (65.75%) which was comparable with potato–sunflower (60.27%). Potato–chickpea sequence recorded moderate land use efficiency (50.68%). However, the fertility status of soil was improved in soybean–chickpea cropping sequence. In other cropping sequences, the fertility status was maintained.