Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted during the years 2011-12 and 2012-13 to study the effect of different cropping systems on economics, system productivity and profitability of castor in North Gujarat Agro-climatic condition on loamy sand soils of Agronomy Instructional Farm, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with four replications comprising ten treatments viz., T
1 : Castor sole, T
2 : Greengram + castor (2:1), T
3 : Cowpea + castor (2:1), T
4 : Groundnut + castor (2:1), T
5 : Sesamum + castor (2:1), T
6 : Greengram-rabi castor, T
7 : Castor-summer pearl millet, T
8 : Castor-summer greengram, T
9 : Castor-summer sesamum and T
10 : Castor-summer moth bean. Inter cropping system groundnut + castor (2:1) recorded significantly maximum CEY (5141 kg/ha), water productivity (10.3 kg/ha-mm) and nutrient productivity (16.0 kg/kg nutrient) while water profitability (` 244/ha-mm) and nutrient profitability (`383.6/kg-nutrient) were recorded maximum when castor was sown as sole crop during
kharif season. The highest LUE (86.6 %) was registered with groundnut + castor (2:1), but an employment generation of 201 man day/ha was recorded with castor-summer pearl millet during both the years. Growing of groundnut + castor (2:1) as intercropping system produced higher castor equivalent yield and secured maximum net realization along with water productivity (10.3 kg/ha-mm) and nutrient productivity (16.0 kg/kg nutrient) under North Gujarat Agro-climatic condition.
SJ Vaghela, JC Patel, DG Patel and JS Dabhi. Economics, water and nutrient productivity and profitability of castor as influenced by different castor (Ricinus communis L.) Based cropping systems in north Gujarat agro-climatic condition. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2018;7(3):748-751.