Agronomic and economic performances of different cropping systems in a hot, arid environment: A case study from northwestern Rajasthan, India

Abstract

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 t ha - 1, chemical fertilizer (CF), FYM at 5 t ha - 1 + 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 + cluster bean – pearl millet + 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.