Agronomic and economic evaluation of alternative cropping systems for bidi tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in middle Gujarat conditions

Abstract

An on-farm study was carried out in rainy (kharif), winter (rabi) and summer seasons for 3 years from 201516 to 201718 at the Anand, Gujarat, to evaluate alternative cropping systems for bidi tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum L.). The experiment was laid in randomized block design with 4 replications. Treatments comprised 6 cropping sys- tems, viz. sole cropping of bidi tobacco, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), maize (Zea mays L.)potato, pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] + pearl millet [Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone; syn. Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]clusterbean [Cymopsis tetragonaloba (L.) Taub.], sesamum (Sesamum indicum L.)potato and bidi tobaccopearl millet. Bidi tobaccopearl millet cropping system recorded the highest tobacco leaf-equivalent yield (TLEY) of 3.7 t/ha compared to rest of treatments, whereas the lowest TLEY was no- ticed with sesamumpotato (2.4 t/ha), followed by groundnutpotato cropping system. Land-use efficiency (LUE) was the highest in pigeonpea + pearl milletclusterbean (93.0%) and the lowest in bidi tobacco sole cropping sys- tem (42.7%). Production efficiency was found the highest in bidi tobacco sole cropping system (18.77 kg/ha/day) and the lowest in pigeonpea + pear lmilletclusterbean (8.61 kg/ha/day). The maximum employment generation (110 man-days/ha/year) was registered with bidi tobaccopearl millet closely followed by pigeonpea + pearl millet clusterbean (106 man-days/ha/year) cropping system. The highest benefit : cost ratio (BCR) of 3.0 was obtained with sole bidi tobacco cropping system. Among the cropping systems, bidi tobaccopearl millet provided the high- est net returns of ` 81.24 103/ha and system profitability of ` 223/ha/day, followed by sole cropping of bidi to- bacco (`76.90 103/ha and ` 210/ha/day respectively). Thus, bidi tobaccopearl millet cropping system followed by sole bidi tobacco was more productive and remunerative than the other cropping systems in middle Gujarat.