Comparative study of various cropping system for their system productivity, profitability and soil fertility under north Gujarat conditions

The experiment was conducted on diversification of cropping system as component of small holder farming systems during 2019–20 to 2022–2023 at Centre for Research on Integrated Farming Systems, SDAU, Sardarkrushinagar to identify need based crop sequences to suit resources available and needs of arid eco-system of North Gujarat. Different ten cropping systems were tested during the study period. The crop sequence fodder maize-fodder oat- fodder pearlmillet recorded highest system productivity (kg/ha/day), followed by fodder sorghum-lucerne- lucerne continue. In case of system profitability (₹/ ha/day), water productivity(kg/ha-mm), nutrient productivity(kg/kg) were highest under fodder sorghum-lucerne- lucerne continue crop sequence. Employment generation (Mandays/ha) was found highest under groundnut- wheat- green gram crop sequence. Soil available nutrients like N, P₂O₅, organic carbon and water holding capacity were found highest and bulk density was found lowest under sunhemp-fenugreek- green gram crop sequence. The lowest system productivity, system profitability, and water productivity were recorded under sunhemp-fenugreek-green gram.