Productivity and energy-efficiency indices for diversified rice (Oryza sativa)based cropping systems in West Central Table Land Zone of Odisha

A long-term field experiment was conducted at Chiplima, Odisha, under irrigated medium land condition during 2006–07 to 2012–13, to evaluate the production potential and economics of 10 rice (Oryza sativa L.)-based crop-ping systems. Rice-maize (Zea mays L.)-cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] and rice-groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)-bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] cropping systems recorded significantly higher average rice equivalent yield (19.55 and 18.57 t/ha, respectively) than the other systems evaluated, the relative production efficiency being 85.8 and 76.5% over the rice-groundnut system. Rice-based 3-cropping systems having groundnut as winter (rabi) crop had higher land-use efficiency (83%). Rice-maize-cowpea recorded the highest irrigation water-use efficiency (230 kg REY/ha), whereas rice-groundnut-bottle gourd recorded the highest apparent nutrient use efficiency (60.8 kg REY/kg NPK applied). Rice-maize-cowpea also recorded the highest energy-use efficiency (5.89), energy-output efficiency (1, 240 MJ/ha/day) and energy productivity (0.34 kg REY/MJ). Rice-maize-cowpea had the highest employment generation efficiency (124.7%), followed by rice-groundnut-bottle gourd (120.5%) and rice-groundnut-cowpea (120.0%). Rice-maize-cowpea gave the highest net returns of 135, 087/ha, followed by rice-groundnut-bottle gourd system ( 111, 777/ha). Rice-maize-cowpea system showed the highest system profitability ( 370/ha/day) and crop profitability ( 500/ha/day). This system also gave the highest benefit: cost ratio (2.56), with highest relative production efficiency (85.8%) and relative economic efficiency (168.5%) compared to rice-groundnut system.