Evaluation of Alternative Crops and Cropping Systems for Sugarcane in Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka

Abstract

A field experiment on Evaluation of alternative crops and cropping systems for sugarcane in Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka was conducted during 2018-19 and 2019-20 at Agricultural Research Station, Hukkeri (Dist. Belagavi) on medium black clay loam soils. There were 11 treatments consisting of soybean - sorghum - ridge gourd (T1), pigeon pea + green gram (1:1) - beans (T2), pigeon pea + soybean (1:1) - cowpea (T3), soybean - wheat - groundnut (T4), groundnut - sorghum - sesame (T5), maize - cabbage - fallow (T6), soybean - wheat - green gram (T7), maize - wheat - sesame (T8), Bt cotton - groundnut (T9), sugarcane + onion (1:2) (T10) and sugarcane (sole) (T11), replicated thrice and laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design. The intercropping treatments were in additive series. Significantly higher total sugarcane equivalent yield (SEY) was recorded with maize-cabbage-fallow system (179.08 t ha-1) followed by sugarcane + onion (1:2) intercropping (157.91 t ha-1). Among the cropping systems involving only field crops, soybean-wheat-groundnut (120.24 t ha-1), maize-wheat-sesame (117.96 t ha-1), soybean-wheat-green gram (107.55 t ha-1) and Bt cotton-groundnut (101.71 t ha-1) recorded higher total SEY. Water use efficiency was also higher in these alternative cropping systems and water saving ranged from 45.31 to 63.35 %. Considering field crop + vegetable alternative cropping systems for sugarcane, maize-cabbage-fallow system recorded significantly higher net returns (Rs. 2,49,923 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.54) compared to rest of the cropping systems and sugarcane (sole) from soybean-wheat-groundnut (Rs. 1,51,651 ha-1 and 2.21), maize-wheat-sesame (Rs. 1,50,231 ha-1 and 2.28), soybean-wheat-green gram (Rs. 1,40,907 ha-1 and 2.29), Bt cotton-groundnut (Rs. 1,33,519 ha-1 and 2.40) and sugarcane + onion (1:2) intercropping (Rs. 1,31,294 ha-1 and 1.52), respectively. As these alternative cropping systems are more productive, can be recommended as viable option to sugarcane monocropping in Northern Transition Zon