Productivity and sustainability of rice (Oryza sativa) based cropping systems in Kymore plateau and Satpura hills zone of Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 200708 and 200809 on a sandy clay loam soil, to indentify sustain- able rice ( Oryza sativa L.) based cropping systems with higher productivity, economics and efficient use of water in Kymore Plateau and Satpura hills zone of Madhya Pradesh. In these 12 cropping systems, rice was sequenced ) with feasible rabi viz., wheat [ Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Paol & Fiori], chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. , onion ( Al- lium sepa L.), berseem ( Trifolium alexandrinum L.), potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), gobhi sarson ( Brassica napus var. napus ), vegetable pea, ( Pisum sativum L.), garlic ( Allium sativum L.), marigold ( Tagetes erecta L.) and sum- mer crops viz., maize ( Zea mays L.), green gram ( Vigna radiata L. Wilczek), sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.), groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.), okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) and cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.). Hybrid rice JRH-5garlicmaize+cowpea cropping system recorded the highest productivity (27.35t/ha/ year) in terms of rice equivalent yields (REY) with net monetary returns of ` 1,75,980/ha/year, 4.47 benefit:cost ra- tio and water productivity of 137.9kg/ha/cm. Both the existing cropping systems viz., ricewheat and ricechickpea recorded the least productivity, net monetary returns, benefit:cost ratio and water productivity. The highest total uptake of N, P and K nutrients was under rice gobhi sarsonokra cropping system. After completion of 2 crop cycles, there was a slight improvement in organic carbon and total N content of soil due to inclusion of legumes.