Cropping system analysis for agricultural sustainability, productivity, economy and land use efficiency of different rice based cropping systems in Chhattisgarh plains

Introduction

India is the second largest producer and consumer of rice in the world. In India, rice had a share of 35.26 per cent in area and 40.02 per cent in total food grain production in India (2020-21). India is also a major exporter of rice exporting around 14.37 million tonnes of rice (2020-21), according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). State like Chhattisgarh where traditionally rice and rice-based farming systems are practiced, rice is grown on an area of 3893.46 ha with a productivity of 3864 kg ha -1 (Anonymous 2025) [1] . The rice in Chhattisgarh is mainly grown by transplanting under puddled field and direct seeding through seed drill and broadcasting of seeds on un-puddled field and there after beushening. The growing of second crops after rice is a concern due to field preparation, proper crop establishment method, shortage of moisture specially at upper soil layer and poor germination and thus cropping intensity is very low. In a particular agro-climatic and resource condition, the identification of most suitable crop sequence is based on its productivity, stability, land use efficiency as well as production efficiency and its performance is chiefly judged in terms of productivity and net return. Nevertheless, understanding of production and land use efficiency provide an additional base for identification of a better and efficient crop sequence for a particular area. For assured success, workable and socially acceptable technologies are to be essentially used. The alternative cropping system so developed may be practiced to enhance sustainability of existing system. The diversification of cropping system is necessary to get higher yield and return, to maintain soil health by including pulses, sustain environment and meet daily requirement of human and animals with growing vegetables, pulses and fodders as well as more remunerative crops like tomato, chilli, potato and onion which receive higher income due to increased demand. In the state, majority of farm families rear animals with rice farming, but they face problem of green fodder availability throughout the year. Most of the previous research concentrated either on a particular cropping system (e.g., rice-wheat system) or on the adaptability of specific crop-based cropping systems under different land situations. There is a need for a comprehensive evaluation of various cropping systems with regards to productivity, profitability, land use etc to evaluate alternative cropping system through crop diversification and intensification. In view of the above, the present investigation was undertaken to study the cropping system analysis for agricultural sustainability, productivity, economy and land use efficiency of rice based cropping systems in Chhattisgarh plains.

Materials and Methods

A field experiment was conducted at Research cum Instructional farm of College of Agriculture, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur during kharif season of 2020-21 and 2021-22. In the present investigation, ten treatments consisting of different rice-based cropping systems were taken to identify the most efficient cropping systems of Chhattisgarh for family nutrition, soil health, fodder and income generation for integrated farming systems of Chhattisgarh plains. Rice was taken as base crop during kharif with ten different cropping systems followed during rabi and summer. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The ten rice based cropping systems i.e. rice(MTU 1010)-wheatgreen manure; rice(MTU 1010)-chickpea-fallow; rice(Dubraj)garden pea-cowpea(veg.); rice(Devbhog)-cowpea(veg.)-moong; rice(Zinco rice)-mustard-moong; rice(Protazin)-french beangroundnut;

rice(Badshah bhog)-berseem-sorghum; rice(Vishnubhog)-oat-pearl millet; rice(Hybrid US 312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander(1:1) and rice(Hybrid Arize Gold)cabbage-sweet corn+cowpea(veg.)(1:1) were taken. The soil of the experimental site was sandy-clay-loam in texture of pH 7.2, EC 0.22 dsm -1 , 0.51% OC and available N, P and K 243.3, 13.5 and 258.5 kg ha -1 in soil, respectively. To compare performance of different cropping systems, rice equivalent yield (REY) were calculated on price basis.

Results and Discussion

Total productivity in terms of rice equivalent yield (REY) Crops of diversified nature performed quite differently when grown in a system. One system having higher productivity and revenue in one season may not be profitable during next season. To have a clear picture of diversified cropping system, yields of kharif rice, different rabi and summer crops were converted into rice equivalent yield (REY) of respective crops and the total productivity of all three seasons in terms of system productivity are presented in terms of REY in Table 1. The winter and summer crops mostly governed the REY of the system. Maximum total productivity (242.7 and 247.7 respectively) of the system in terms of REY was recorded under rice((Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander (1:1) cropping sequence in both the years. Further, rice (Hybrid Arize Gold)-cabbagesweet corn + cowpea (1:1) system stood next in order of merit and produced appreciably higher total productivity (183.5 and 203.9 respectively). Rice (Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander (1:1) gave higher total productivity over existing cropping systems of rice(MTU 1010)chickpea-fallow cropping system. As regards to soil health point of view rice (Dubraj)-garden peacowpea recorded higher total productivity over rice (Devbhog)cowpeamoong cropping system, in terms of family nutrition cropping system rice(Protazin)-french beangroundnut was better over rice(Zinco rice)-mustard-moong. While, in respect to fodder production rice (Badshah bhog)-berseem-sorghum was better over rice(Vishnu bhog-oat-pearl millet.

1. Production efficiency (kg ha -1 day -1 ) Data pertaining to production efficiency is presented in Table 2. The maximum production efficiency (75.8, 77.4 and 76.6, respectively) was recorded under rice(Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander (1:1) cropping sequence in both the years and on mean basis. Whereas the lowest production efficiency was recorded under rice(Vishnu bhog)-oat-peral millet. From this result it is clear that the rice((Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander (1:1) cropping sequence can be a better option over all the other cropping system as it has maximum potential of producing yield within a given time period. Kalita et al., (2015) [7] suggested that the effect on system productivity efficiency was significant.

The economic efficiency (Table 2) was recorded maximum (866.6, 813.4 and 840.0, respectively) under rice(Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander (1:1) cropping sequence in both the years and on mean basis followed by rice (Hybrid Arize Gold)-cabbagesweet corn + cowpea (1:1) cropping system presented in Table . Similarly, the lowest economic efficiency was recorded under rice(Vishnu bhog)-oat-pearl millet cropping system. Economic efficiency in cropping systems is a measure of how well a cropping system performs based on the inputs and outputs of the system and this result shows that the rice(Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander (1:1) cropping sequence is highly economically efficient.

The data regarding LUE is presented in (Table 2) and it was recorded maximum (97.8, 95.9 and 96.8, respectively) under rice(Badshah bhog)-berseem-sorghum cropping system. Likewise, the minimum LUE was recorded under rice(MTU 1010)-chickpea-fallow cropping system.

Economics

The data presented in Table 3 shows maximum total cost of cultivation of the system (Rs 181245 ha -1 , Rs 193674 ha -1 and Rs 187460 ha -1 respectively) was recorded under rice (Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander(1:1) cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis, respectively followed by rice (Hybrid Arize Gold)-cabbagesweet corn + cowpea (1:1) cropping system(Rs 166669 ha -1 , Rs 178692 ha -1 and Rs 172681 ha -1 respectively). The lowest cost of cultivation (Rs 55471 ha -1 , Rs 58126 ha -1 and Rs 56799 ha -1 ) was recorded in green manure under rice(MTU 1010)-chickpea-fallow cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis. This might be due to fallow in cropping system during summer season. The data on highest total gross return (Table 3) of the system (Rs 497551 ha -1 , Rs 449897 ha -1 and Rs 473724 ha -1 respectively) was recorded under rice (Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander(1:1) cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis, respectively followed by rice (Hybrid Arize Gold)-cabbagesweet corn + cowpea (1:1) cropping system(Rs 420680 ha -1 , Rs 319120ha -1 and Rs 369900 ha -1 respectively). The total gross return of the system (Rs 116365ha - 1 , Rs 96830 ha -1 and Rs 106598 ha -1 ) was recorded in green manure under rice(Vishnu bhog)-oat-pearl millet cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis. The data (Table 3) on highest total net return of the system (Rs 316306 ha -1 , Rs 265804 ha -1 and Rs 291055 ha -1 respectively) was recorded under rice (Hybrid US-312)-sweet corn-tomato+coriander(1:1) cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis, respectively followed by rice (Hybrid Arize Gold)-cabbagesweet corn + cowpea (1:1) cropping system (Rs 254011 ha -1 , Rs 218259 ha -1 and Rs 236135 ha -1 respectively). The total net return of the system (Rs 43110ha -1 , Rs 22336 ha -1 and Rs 32723 ha -1 ) was recorded in green manure under rice(Vishnu bhog)-oat-pearl millet cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis. The data on (Table 3) maximum B:C ratio (3.02, 2.64) of the system was recorded under rice(MTU 1010)-chickpea-fallow cropping systems during the first year and on mean basis. During the second year the maximum total B:C ratio was recorded under rice (Protazin)-french bean-groundnut cropping system. Similary, the minimum total B:C ratio (1.59. 1.28, 1.44) was recorded under rice(Vishnu bhog)-oat-pearl millet cropping systems during both the years and on mean basis respectively.

Conclusion

Cropping systems involving hybrid rice under rice(Hybrid US-312 -sweet corn-tomato+coriander(1:1) cropping systems are highly productive in terms of rice equivalent yield (REY), economic efficiency, production efficiency and land use efficiency. Also these are suitable for higher return. The present research addresses the problems arise by continuous growing of rice-wheat or rice chickpea cropping system. This study has also emphasized the necessity of detailed study on nutrient balance, pest dynamics, energy efficiency of existing systems and new systems for long term sustainability.

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