1Agriculture Officer (Agronomy), Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat388 110
2Associate Research Scientist (Agronomy), Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat388 110
3Assistant Research Scientist (Agronomy), Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat388 110
4Unit Head, Bidi Tobacco Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat388 110
Bidi Tobacco Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat388 110
*Corresponding author's Email: jalpanchal1623@aau.in
Online Published on 11 March, 2022.
An on-farm study was carried out in rainy (kharif), winter (rabi) and summer seasons for 3 years from 2015–16 to 2017–18 at the Anand, Gujarat, to evaluate alternative cropping systems for bidi tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum L.). The experiment was laid in randomized block design with 4 replications. Treatments comprised 6 cropping systems, viz. sole cropping of bidi tobacco, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)-potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), maize (Zea mays L.)-potato, pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] + pearl millet [Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone; syn. Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]-clusterbean [Cymopsis tetragonaloba (L.) Taub.], sesamum (Sesamum indicum L.)-potato and bidi tobacco-pearl millet. Bidi tobacco-pearl millet cropping system recorded the highest tobacco leaf-equivalent yield (TLEY) of 3.7 t/ha compared to rest of treatments, whereas the lowest TLEY was noticed with sesamum-potato (2.4 t/ha), followed by groundnut-potato cropping system. Land-use efficiency (LUE) was the highest in pigeonpea + pearl millet-clusterbean (93.0%) and the lowest in bidi tobacco sole cropping system (42.7%). Production efficiency was found the highest in bidi tobacco sole cropping system (18.77 kg/ha/day) and the lowest in pigeonpea + pear lmillet-clusterbean (8.61 kg/ha/day). The maximum employment generation (110 man-days/ha/year) was registered with bidi tobacco-pearl millet closely followed by pigeonpea + pearl millet-clusterbean (106 man-days/ha/year) cropping system. The highest benefit: cost ratio (BCR) of 3.0 was obtained with sole bidi tobacco cropping system. Among the cropping systems, bidi tobacco-pearl millet provided the highest net returns of ₹ 81.24 x 103/ha and system profitability of ₹ 223/ha/day, followed by sole cropping of bidi tobacco (₹76.90 x 103/ha and ₹ 210/ha/day respectively). Thus, bidi tobacco-pearl millet cropping system followed by sole bidi tobacco was more productive and remunerative than the other cropping systems in middle Gujarat.
Alternative crops to tobacco, Benefit: cost ratio, Cropping system, Net returns, Tobacco leaf-equivalent yield, Yield attributes
