Influence of cereal-legume combination and sources of nutrients on productivity and profitability under organic production system

A field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2012–13 and 2013–14 on sandy loam soil at experimental farm of CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Research Sub-Station, Akrot, District Una, Himachal Pradesh to study the production potential of cereal-legume based cropping system and nutrient sources on productivity under organic conditions. The cropping sequence maize (Zea mays L.) + blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) resulted in higher total maize-equivalent yield and benefit: cost ratio. Maize-equivalent yield of this system was statistically at par with maize + blackgram-wheat (Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] + chickpea cropping sequence. Vermicompost (VC) @ 10 t/ha recorded higher maize-equivalent yield of cropping system over VC @ 5 t/ha + liquid manure (LM) vermiwash and was statistically at par with VC @ 5 t/ha + LM + biofertilizers and VC @ 5 t/ha + biofertilizers. Application of VC @ 5 t/ha + LM + biofertilizers recorded the highest benefit: cost ratio (1.44). Higher values of available nitrogen (289.8 kg/ha), phosphorus (23.1 kg/ha) and potassium (176.2 kg/ha) in soil were recorded in VC @ 5 t/ha + LM + biofertilizers than the other nutrient sources.