Comparative assessment of conventional, conservation, and organic agriculture for productivity and profitability of pigeonpea under pigeonpea(Cajanus cajan)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) system

T K  DAS; PRIYANKA  SAHA; RAJ  SINGH; RISHI  RAJ; DIBAKAR  MAHANTA; ARTI  BHATIA; LIVLEEN  SHUKLA; M C  MEENA; SUMAN  SEN; ARKAPRAVA  ROY; ALEKHYA  GUNTURI; TARUN  SHARMA

doi:10.56093/ijas.v95i4.152847

Authors

T K DAS ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
PRIYANKA SAHA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
RAJ SINGH ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
RISHI RAJ ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
DIBAKAR MAHANTA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
ARTI BHATIA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
LIVLEEN SHUKLA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
M C MEENA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
SUMAN SEN ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh
ARKAPRAVA ROY ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
ALEKHYA GUNTURI ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
TARUN SHARMA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v95i4.152847

Keywords:

Benefit-cost analysis, Pigeonpea yield, Zero till permanent broad bed with residue, Zero till permanent flat bed with residue, Zero till permanent narrow bed with residue

Abstract

A study was carried out during 2022–23 and 2023–24 at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to evaluate the impact of conventional agriculture (CT), conservation agriculture (CA), and organic agriculture (OA) on pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan L. (Millsp.)] under pigeonpea-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system. Conservation agriculture treatments such as CA₁, CA₂ and CA₃ (zero till permanent narrow bed (CA-PNB), permanent broad bed CA-PBB) and permanent flat bed (CA-PFB), respectively) outperformed CT and OA on growth parameters such as plant height, dry matter accumulation, leaf area index, crop growth rate and relative growth rate of pigeonpea. The pigeonpea variety selected for the experiment was Pusa Arhar 16. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with 3 replications. Notably, CA₂ led to achieve greater plant height (129.3 cm and 132 cm) and dry matter accumulation (1143.7 g/m²) in both years. Enhanced nodulation in CA treatments suggested improved biological nitrogen fixation and soil health. Yield attributes under CA were significantly greater with CA₂ treatment, showing the highest pod numbers, grains/pod, and pod weight/plant. Grain yield in CA₂ was 24.3–30.5% higher than in CT and 30.1–36.8% higher than in OA₃. Economic analysis revealed that the cost of cultivation for CA treatments was marginally higher (8–9%) than CT, but gross returns for CA₁, CA₂ and CA₃ were substantially higher. CA₂ gave highest net returns with a 39% and 54% higher than over CT in the first and second years, respectively. Net B:C for CA₂ were also superior, showing a 27–40% improvement over CT over the years. It may be concluded that conservation agriculture, particularly CA₂, which provides better growth, higher yields and income would be economically superior to conventional and organic agriculture. This as well underscores the potential of CA to enhance pigeonpea productivity and farmers’ income in upper and middle Gangetic plains of India.

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