Effect of method of irrigation and fertility levels on performance of rice-Ashwagandha sequence cropping system

A field experiment was conducted at Directorate of Water Management, Bhubaneswar during 2006–07 and 2007–08 dry seasons to study the effect of drip irrigation regimes and fertility levels on economics of Ashwagandha [(Withania somnifera (L.), Dunal)] in rice based cropping system. The treatments consisted of three irrigation regimes (drip irrigation at 100% pan evaporation (PE), at 80% PE and at 60% PE) with three fertility levels (100%, 75% and 50% recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) with control having surface irrigation and soil application of fertilizer. Application of irrigation at 80% PE through drip with recommended dose of fertilizer (RD) through fertigation to Ashwagandha produced the highest yield (862 Kg of dry roots and 82 Kg of seed ha⁻¹). Rice equivalent yield of Ashwagandha was 9,152 Kg ha⁻¹. Drip irrigation gave more gross return, net return and benefit-cost ratio than surface irrigation and soil application of fertilizer. Application of irrigation at 80% PE and fertigation of 100% RD to Ashwagandha gave maximum net return of ` 54,000 ha⁻¹.