Crop sequences for increasing cropping intensity and productivity

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the Central Research Station of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) for three consecutive years (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) to study the comparative agronomic performance and economic return of different cropping sequences for increasing cropping intensity and productivity. Three cropping patterns (CP₁ - Transplanted Aman rice (var:Binadhan-7) Mustard (var:BARISarisha-14) Boro rice (var:BRRIdhan-28) Transplanted Aus rice (var:Parija), CP₂ - T. aman rice Potato (var:Diamont) Boro rice T. aus rice and CP₃ - T. aman rice Mustard (var:BARISarisha-15) Mungbean (var:BARIMung-6) T. aus rice) are based on four crops; and one cropping pattern (CP₄ = T. aman rice Fallow Boro rice Fallow) with two rice crops as control were tested. Four crops can be grown successfully one after another in sequence in all the three cropping patterns tested. On an average organic matter 3.56, 4.70, 3.58 and 2 t ha^-1 were added to soil in CP₁, CP₂, CP₃ and CP₄ by incorporation of biomass of respective crops. The highest rice equivalent yield (REY) 34.10, 34.02 and 33.36 t ha^-1 was obtained from the cropping pattern CP₂ in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively and it was followed by CP₁ and CP₃. The highest average gross return (Tk.5,00,469 ha^-1) and net return (Tk. 2,63,773 ha^-1) were obtained from CP₂ and it was followed by CP₃ but the highest average B:C ratio (2.89) was obtained from the cropping pattern CP₃ followed by CP₂ (2.11) due to lower cost of production than in the former one. Four crops based patterns can be recommended for higher productivity, soil enrichment & economic benefit besides creating more employment opportunity.

SAARC J. Agri., 13(1): 135-147 (2015)