Crop diversification with high-value crops for higher productivity and profitability under irrigated ecosystem

A field investigation was carried out during the rainy (kharif), winter (rabi) and summer seasons of 2015–17 on sandy- clay- loam soil at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi to evaluate 5 cropping systems, viz. maize (Zea mays L.) -pea (Pisum sativum L.) -okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.)], maize-mustard- [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj] greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek], cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) -wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl] -onion (Allium cepa L.) and okra-wheat, for productivity, profitability and labour requirement. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 4 replications. Bottle gourd-onion cropping system recorded the highest wheat-grain-equivalent yield (WGEY) 19.9 t/ha, followed by maize-pea-okra (14.06 t/ha). The lowest WGEY was recorded with maize-mustard- greengram (9.12 t/ha). The net returns (216.34 × 10³/ha) were higher with bottle gourd-onion cropping system, while maize-mustard-greengram registered lowest net returns (73.39 × 10³/ha). Highest labour requirement was observed in maize-pea-okra system (197 man-days/ha) followed by okra-wheat system (166 man-days/ha). The minimum number of labour was required for maize-mustard-greengram system (117 man-days/ha) followed by cotton-wheat system (121 man-days/ha); however, there is no significant difference between the two systems.