Maize (Zea mays)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system: Intensification through introduction of pulses

A field experiment was carried out in 3 tehsils, namely Nathdwara, Rajsamand and Kumbhalgarh, of Rajsamand district (Sub-humid Southern Plain and Aravalli Hills Zone) of Rajasthan (IVa) in farmers’ fields from rainy season (kharif) 2007 to winter season (rabi) 2010–11, to study the intensification of maize (Zea mays L.)-wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] cropping system through introduction of pulses crop. The experiment comprised 5 cropping systems, viz. maize-wheat, maize-barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), maize + blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] (2: 2)-wheat, sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] + greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] (2: 1)-wheat and clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.]-wheat. Maize + blackgram (2: 2)-wheat cropping system gave the highest maize-grain-equivalent yield (8.22 t/ha), gross returns (87.4 × 10³/ha), net returns (57.5 × 10³/ha), land-use efficiency (64.9%), production efficiency (34.7 kg/ha/day), monetary efficiency (242.8/ha/day), sustainable yield index (0.65), sustainable value index (0.55), relative productivity efficiency (21.3%), relative economic efficiency (17.4%) and total calorific value (94.7 × 10³ MJ/ha) and could intensified the existing maize-wheat cropping system. However, benefit: cost ratio was the maximum (3.18: 1) in clusterbean-wheat cropping system. The maximum values of total input energy (36.97 × 10³ MJ/ha), output energy (234.2 × 10³ MJ/ha) and energy-output efficiency (988.3 MJ/ha/day) were recorded in maize + blackgram (2: 2)-wheat, while energy intensiveness (9.37 MJ/) and energy-use efficiency (7.88) in maize-barley cropping system. The maximum values of specific energy (5.10 MJ/kg) and energy productivity (240.0 MJ/ha/day) were recorded in maize-wheat and clusterbean-wheat cropping systems respectively.