Economics of Zero-Till rabi castor (Ricinus communis L.) under the influence of different preceding crops

A field experiment was conducted during kharif and rabi season of 2010–11 and 2011–12 at College Farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, ANGRAU. The experiment was laid out in split plot design, replicated thrice with four preceding crops in main plots (green gram, groundnut, bajra and maize and five nitrogen levels to rabi castor in sub plots (0, 40, 80, 120 & 160 kg N/ha). The results revealed that among different systems, highest gross and net monetary returns and BCR was recorded in greengramcastor system with 120 kg/N/ha compared with other system. System gross, system net returns and system BCR, was recorded higher in maize castor with application of 120 kg/N/ha resulting in higher system productivity in terms of (Castor Equivalent Yield) CEY (6685 and 5828 kg/ha/year), systems gross returns (160440 and 169002 /ha/year), system net returns (124798 and 131460) and BCR (3.5 and 3.5). However, it did not differ statistically with greengram-castor at the same level of ‘N’ with comparable CEY (6356 and 5515 kg/ha/year), system gross returns (152552 and 159925), system net returns (122510 and 127983), BCR (4.08 and 4.01),