Studies on Contingent Cropping in Drylands

Field experiments were conducted at S.V. Agricultural College Farm, Tirupati campus of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University for two consecutive kharif seasons of 2000 and 2001 under rainfed conditions to study contingent cropping in drylands. The dry matter production, groundnut pod equivalent yield, gross, net returns and benefit - cost ratio, N, P and K uptake of all crops were highest with July second fortnight sowing. Among all the crops, redgram registered the highest dry matter production, groundnut pod equivalent yield, gross and net returns. Among all the crops, castor recorded the highest benefit - cost ratio. Castor recorded the highest N uptake during first year and clusterbean during second year. The highest P and K uptake was recorded with greengram and sunflower. During both the years, the highest soil organic carbon and available nitrogen were recorded with July second fortnight sowing. Soil available P₂O₅ was highest with July second fortnight sowing during second year. Soil available phosphorus was not influenced by time of sowing during first year. Soil available potassium was not influenced by time of sowing during both the years. The highest organic carbon and available nitrogen were recorded with redgram during both the years. Available phosphorus was highest with castor during both the years. Crops did not differ in terms of soil available potassium during both the years.