Sustainable diversification of maize (Zea mays L.) -legumes cropping systems for productivity, profitability and resourceuse efficiency in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India

A field experiment was conducted at Instructional Farm of ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tura during kharif, pre-rabi and rabi season of 2011–12 to 2013–14 to determine the suitable production potential, profitability, resource use efficiency and sustainability of diversified maize-legumes cropping system. The five cropping sequences viz., CS₁: maize + blackgram (1:2) - green gram + maize (2:1) - tomato, CS₂: maize + green gram (1:2) - green gram + maize (2:1) - tomato, CS₃: maize + groundnut (1:2) - green gram + maize (2:1) - tomato, CS₄: maize + Ssybean (1:2) - tomato and CS₅: maize sole - green gram - tomato were replicated four times using a randomized block design on sandy loam soil with low to medium fertility level and slightly acidic in reaction. The cropping system “maize + green gram (1:2) - green gram + maize (1:1) - tomato” was found to be most remunerative and sustainable with system productivity (175.49 q/ha), net return (Rs.3,38,725/ha), profitability (Rs. 928.01/ha/day), benefit cost ratio (4.40), sustainable yield index (1.00), production efficiency (Rs.58.30/ha/day), relative economic efficiency (162.72%), except land use efficiency (LUE) which was the highest (85.75%) in “maize + groundnut (1:2) - green gram + maize (1:1) - tomato” cropping system. The lowest system productivity, net returns, profitability, production efficiency, land use efficiency etc was found in maize+ soybean (1:2)- tomato followed by maize-greengram-tomato cropping system. Hence, the cropping sequence maize + green gram(1:2) - green gram + maize (1:1) - tomato and maize + groundnut(1:2) - green gram + maize (1:1) - tomato were found to be the productive, profitable, remunerative, resource use efficient and sustainable in the mid hills sub-tropical regions of India.