Efficiency of different cropping systems for sustaining productivity in middle Indo-Gangetic Plains

There is an urgent need for identification of eco-friendly and cleaner production systems that are more productive, profitable, efficiently use energy/water/carbon input and are environmentally safer. Under that context, a long-term experiment was conducted during 2019–21 at the farmers’ fields of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Gaya, Bihar. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the productivity of diverse cropping systems for irrigated and rainfed conditions. Nine cropping system, viz. transplanted puddled rice (TPR)–wheat (conventional-till)-fallow (farmers practices) [CS1],TPR-wheat(zero-till)-mung (ZT) [CS2], Conventional-till direct seeded rice (CTDSR)-mustard (ZT)-mung (ZT) [CS3], ZTDSR-lentil (ZT)-fallow [CS4], Maize (CT)-lentil (ZT)-mung (ZT) [CS5], Bajra (CT)- lentil (ZT)-mung (ZT) [CS6], Bajra (CT)-wheat (ZT)-mung (ZT) [CS7], TPR-chickpea (ZT)-fallow [CS8] and TPR-maize (CT)-fallow [CS9] were used for the present study. Maximum system productivity was recorded with maize (CT)-lentil (ZT)-mung (ZT) (13.2 t/ha), which was 46, 3.9, 13.8, 94.7, 22.2, 15.8, 39.5, 11.9% higher compared to CS1, CS2, CS3, CS4, CS6, CS7, CS8 and CS9, respectively. Net returns (`211677/ha) and Benefit cost (B:C) ratio (3.59) were recorded maximum with maize (CT)-lentil (ZT)-mung (ZT). Land use efficiency was the maximum with TPR-wheat (ZT)-mung (ZT) (92.6%). Carbohydrate equivalent yield was also maximum with TPR-wheat (ZT)-mung (ZT). Diversification of rice-wheat system with millets i.e. Bajra (CT)-lentil (ZT)-mung (ZT)/Bajra (CT)-wheat (ZT)- mung (ZT) improves the system productivity by 19.5–26.1% compared to TPR-wheat (CT)-fallow. Thus, the present study could be important to identify an alternate cropping systems for enhancing the overall system productivity and profitability sustainably through adoption of environment-friendly technologies.