Author(s): M. RAY, S. CHATTERJEE, M. PRAMANICK, P. K. MANI, K. ROY AND K. SENGUPTA

Abstract: In an on-farm field experiment different rice (Oryza sativa) based crop sequences were tested for their performance over two consecutive years 2006-07 and 2007-08 at Haringhata, Nadia, West Bengal. The sequences were: rice – rice, rice – rapeseed (Brassica campestris) – sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), rice – potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) – sesame, rice – potato – lady’s finger (Hibiscus esculentus) and rice – rapeseed – rice. Among the five cropping systems, rice-potato-lady’s finger gave the highest system yield as well as net return and the ricerice cropping system recorded lowest system yield as well as net return in both the experimental year. During the 1st year of experimentation, rice-rapeseed-rice cropping sequence was found to be the best regarding benefit cost ratio, though it is statistically at par with the rice-potato-lady’s finger sequence and showed its superiority over the other sequences in the 2nd year. Highest energy productivity as well as fuel energy use efficiency was recorded with rice – potato – sesame (0.54kg/MJ and 1.97kg/MJ, respectively), followed by rice – potato – lady’s finger (0.52kg/MJ and 1.66kg/MJ, respectively). Considering productivity, profitability, energy use efficiency and fossil fuel energy use efficiency rice – potato – lady’s finger was the best out of the five crop sequences.

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