Greater response of high yielding varieties of paddy to inputs like fertilizers, irrigation water and pesticides has resulted in higher energy input use and high cost of production. One of the paramount concerns is to maximize productivity with minimum input energy and cost. So, a study was conducted to establish optimum energy input level and to know the sensitivity of particular energy input level on productivity for the cultivation of paddy in three agro-climatic zones of the state of Punjab (India). The study on sensitivity of energy inputs on productivity of paddy revealed that an additional 1 MJ of energy input through fertilizers in zone 2, fertilizer and chemical in zone 3 and machinery in zone 4 would result in increase in yield by 0.235, 0.218, 0.677 and 1.030 kg respectively. Yield of paddy was independent of area under the crop. The technical efficiency of energy inputs for paddy was high in zone 2 (94.7%) followed by zones 3 (90.1%) and 4 (82.1%). The maximum attainable yield of paddy in zones 2, 3 and 4 is higher by 5.4, 5.6 and 13.5% than the actual yield. Reducing the energy inputs by 13.5, 20.5 and 16.5 percent in zones 2, 3 and 4 respectively can attain the existing level of yield of paddy over the actual energy use.
Crop production, Energy, Optimization, Paddy, Productivity
