Contingent crop planning for rainy and winter seasons in rainfed mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

A field experiment conducted on conungent crop planning for rainy (Wlartj) and winter (rabi) seasons in mid-hill sub-humid zone of Himachal Pradesh revealed that if the major Wlanymaize (Zea mays L.) could not be sown or failed due to adverse cliinatic conditions, the sowing of blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.) or horsegram [Macrotyloma unijlorum (lamb.) Verdic.] in the first-fortnightof Angust proved whereas maize, Frenchbean or rajmash (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and soybean [Glycine mar err.] gave negative returns. AU these crops fitted well in sequence with wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.), however, blackgram-wheatse- quence was found most remunerative. In another trial oat (Avena sativa L.) + sarson sown for green fodder from second fortnight of August to September gave significantly higher net returns than toria [Brassica campestris ssp oleifera (Metzger) Sinsk. var torial-wheat, toria-barley (Hordeum vulgare L. sensu lato), toria-mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. & Cosson] and toria-linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) be- cause toria crop gave negative returns. However, the net returns obtained only from wheat, barley and In- dian mustard grown after catch crop of toria were at par with oat + sarson and rapeseed (B. napus L.) crop sown in October.