Productivity, profitability and land-use efficiency of soybean (Glycine max)-based cropping systems under different nutrient-management practices

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy ( kharif), winter ( rabi) and summer seasons of 201112 and 201213 at New Delhi, to evaluate the productivity, profitability and land-use efficiency of 4 soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]-based cropping systems involving wheat [ Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.], chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.), potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), mungbean [ Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] and fodder sorghum [ Sor- ghum bicolor (L.) Monech], under 5 nutrient-management practices. System productivity of soybean-based crop- ping system in terms of soybean-equivalent yield (SEY) was significantly higher under soybeanchickpeafodder sorghum (7.44 t/ha) during 201112 and under soybeanpotatomungbean system (8.99 t/ha) during 201213. Land-use efficiency (LUE) was higher in soybeanchickpeasorghum (F) and soybeanwheatmungbean sys- tems than soybeanwheatfallow and soybeanpotatomungbean systems during both the years. Soybean chickpeasorghum (F) and soybeanpotatomungbean systems recorded the highest production efficiency (PE) based on SEY (22.8 and 31.4 kg SEY/ha/day) and monetary terms ( 255 and 363/ha/day) during 201112 and 201213 respectively. Application of 25% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) + 50% RDN through FYM + biofertlizers in soybean gave significantly highest seed yield during both the years. Application of 100% RDF re- sulted in the highest wheat yield and potato tuber yield during both the years. Highest yield of chickpea, mungbean and sorghum fodder were obtained with 50% RDF + 50% RDN through FYM during both the years. The highest SEY (6.73 t/ha and 6.84 t/ha) was achieved with of 50% RDF + 50% RDN, through FYM during both the years.