Productivity, profitability and nutrient uptake in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)based cropping systems under different nutrient-management practices

A field experiment was carried out during 2011–12 to 2012–13 at Rahuri, Maharashtra, on sandy clay-loam soil, to evaluate the groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)-based diversified cropping systems, viz. groundnut-onion (Allium cepa L), groundnut-wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.) and groundnut-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), under 4 nutrient-management practices, viz. recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), fertilizer dose as per soil test, fertilizer dose as per soil-test crop response (STCR) equations and control (main-plots), and 3 fertilizer levels, viz. 100% RDF, 75% RDF and 50% RDF as sub-plot treatments. This semi-arid tract with an annual rainfall received 527.8 mm and 424.0 mm during both years, respectively. The altitude varies from 495 to 569 m above mean sea-level. The yield target of 2.5 t/ha was achieved in rainy-season (kharif) groundnut by application of fertilizer as per STCR equation with less than 10% variation (−5.8%) on pooled mean basis. Among the cropping systems, groundnut-onion cropping system recorded significantly maximum total system productivity (7.82 t/ha), production efficiency (35.1 kg/ha/day) and economic efficiency (842.5/ha/day) than rest of the cropping systems. Similarly, groundnut-onion cropping system obtained significantly maximum net monetary returns (188.0 × 10³/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.98) than rest of cropping systems. At the end of the 2 years cropping cycles, application of fertilizer as per STCR equation (2.5 t/ha) to kharif groundnut, followed by 75% RDF (75, 37.5, 37.5 N, P₂O₅, K₂O kg/ha) to onion during the winter (rabi) season found most remunerative proposition to achieve the maximum yield and monetary benefits in groundnut-rabi onion cropping system.