Evaluation of rice (Oryza sativa)-based cropping systems for increasing productivity, resource-use efficiency and energy productivity in coastal West Bengal

A field experiment was conducted during 2011–13 at farmers’ field of Kakdwip in the district South 24 Parganas of West Bengal to assess productivity, profitability, resource-use efficiency including energy value under coastal saline zone with 6 different rice (Oryza sativa L.)-based cropping systems, viz. rice-greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek], rice-sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), rice-sunflower + greengram, rice-okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], rice-rice and rice-khasari (Lathyrus sativus L.) (as utera). The highest rice-equivalent yield was recorded in rice-okra (33.6 t/ha) cropping system. Higher productivity, net returns and profitability also recorded in rice-okra system followed by rice-sunflower. However, higher benefit: cost ratio was obtained from rice-okra system (2.03) followed by rice-khasari (1.85) and the lowest from rice-greengram (1.52) system. Rice-okra system showed better land-utilization efficiency (69.1%) followed by rice-sunflower than the other systems. Rice-okra system also showed higher irrigation water-use efficiency (1, 416.3 kg/ha-cm) and employment generation (475 man-days) than the other systems. Total input, output and net energy produced in the systems were in order of rice-okra > rice-rice > rice-sunflower > rice-sunflower+greengram > rice-greengram > rice-khasari. Rice-okra system was the most efficient in term of energy productivity (0.45 kg/MJ). Energy-use efficiency was the highest in rice-khasari followed by rice-sunflower + greengram and rice-greengram. The rice-okra cropping system proved the most remunerative cropping system in the coastal saline zone of West Bengal.