Profitability of legume-maize cropping systems under legume residue management practices

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is very important crop in the world. To study profitability of various legume-maize cropping systems with residue management, a field experiment was conducted at College of Agronomy Farm, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat during summer-kharif seasons of two consecutive years, 2017 and 2018.Three legume crops viz., green gram, groundnut and cluster bean has been grown in summer season and two residue management treatments after legume harvest viz., residue removal and residue incorporation; was followed before sowing of kharif maize. Three treatment viz., 100%, 75% and 50% recommended dose of nitrogen levels were also given to kharif maize. Results of 2 year experiment revealed that cluster bean-maize sequence provided the highest grain and straw yield of maize. Highest net realization and benefit cost ratio for maize crop was achieved with cluster bean-maize sequence with legume residue incorporation and 100% RDN followed by groundnut-maize sequence with similar nutrient management practices. For summer legume-kharif maize cropping system, the highest net realization and benefit cost ratio was obtained with the cluster bean-maize system with residue incorporation and 100% RDN. System productivity in terms of the highest total maize equivalent yields was observed under groundnut-maize cropping system with residue incorporation and 100% RDN. Positive response of inclusion of legumes on the profitability of the system find out under this study.