<div>Background: Small millets and pulses are world&rsquo;s renowned crops for their nutritional significance. Being an underutilized species; rainfed farmers solely depend on them for their livelihood; which would be enhanced in a planned and efficient cropping system. The current study aimed to the identify suitable inter and sequential crops for rainfed little millet. 
 
Methods: In this study, four cropping patterns with two different row proportions for intercropping [viz., (4:1), (6:1)] were used with little millet as a main crop. The cropping systems include - little millet + pigeonpea [(4:1), (6:1)] followed by a sequential horsegram; little millet + pigeonpea followed by moth bean and little millet + lablab [(4:1), (6:1)] followed by Horsegram and little millet + lablab followed by mothbean.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Among them; a higher grain equivalent yield was observed in little millet + pigeonpea (6:1); followed by horsegram. However, higher dry matter, grain weight and higher individual crop yield was obtained in little millet + pigeonpea (6:1) followed by mothbean. Although individual mono cropping yields of these crops were higher; the pattern with little millet - pigeonpea (6:1) followed by horsegram could be recommended as a methodology to aid higher economic returns in shorter period.</div>

​Effect of Inter and Sequential Cropping of Pulses in Little Millet (Panicum sumatranse L.) based Cropping System

<div>Background: Attitudes are learned, emotionally, predisposition to react in a consistent way, favourable or unfavourable to the situation of inter-cropping practices. The purposed of this finding was to find out the attitude of the adopter and non-adopter of inter-cropping in areca nut plantation in Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya. It is important to study the attitude of the respondents towards the inter-cropping practices as this can help to understand the reason behind the adoption or non-adoption of the practices in the study area. This study also helped in determining the relationship between the attitude and the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. 
 
Methods: This field survey was done during the year 2017 to 2019. Ex-Post Facto research design was used for this study. The sample study was selected through multistage sampling method in the selected study area of the respondents. Number of respondents was selected using a simple random method by using computer aided random selection based on the criteria of practicing areca nut plantation and those who practiced both areca nut plus inter-cropping. A survey of 310 adopters and 310 non-adopters of areca nut plantation were selected for the study. Collection of primary data was done using an interview schedule and appropriate statistical tools were used for interpretation of the data. Independent variables included in this were gender, age, marital status, educational level and type of house, family size, family type, social category, and annual income. 
 
Result: Based on the study it was observed that the attitude of the adopters and the non-adopters of Ri-Bhoi district were found to be favourable towards the inter-cropping practices but the attitudinal level among them were found to have been different based on some factors. The adopters were having most favourable attitude than the non-adopters. The findings of this study led to the conclusion that the attitudes of adopters and non-adopters differ depending on their educational status, annual income, land size and so on. The findings of this study can be used by the government to assist farmers in any way possible, so that non-adopters can also adopt inter-cropping practices because, according to the study, they have a favourable attitude toward this practice, but they require government assistance.</div>

Attitude of the Adopters and Non-adopters towards Inter-cropping in Areca Nut Plantation in Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Weeds are one of major threats to crop yield and quality. Weeds compete with cane crop and reduce the yield significantly in a very short period. Planned use of all available farm resources leads to integrated control strategy. The current study aimed to study the use of inter row rotary weeder for integrated weeds management to control population dynamics of weeds in sugarcane crop. The objective of experiment is to find out economical, feasible and easy to use approach to minimize the weed density below the threshold level in sugarcane crop and to minimize the use of chemicals for weeds control to promote organic farming. Methods: In this research experiment, at Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad during 2017 and 2018, the treatment includes viz. Application od Click (atrazine and acetochlor) @ 3.75 Liter per hectare as Pre-emergence, Ametryn + Atrazine 80 W.P @ 2.50 kg per hectare as post-emergence, Machanical Inter-culture with Rotary weeder and cultivator plough and earthing up. These treatments in different combinations were compared with control. Result: The application of Pre-emergence weedicide Click (atrazine and acetochlor) @ 3.75 Liter per hectare + Inter culture with Rotary weeder 50 days after planting (DAP) + Inter culture with cultivator plough before earthing up (100 DAP) produced significantly higher cane yield of 105 t. ha-1 and highest net benefits per hectare of Rs. 156250/-. The lowest cane yield of 70 t. ha-1 was noted from the experimental units with Weedy check / control. If farmers use this approach, the use of post emergence weedicides will be minimized and will encourage organic farming with safe and healthy environment.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Valuation of Weed Control Methods by using Inter Row Rotary Weeder in Sugarcane Crop</div>

<div>Background: Freshwater in sufficient quantity and adequate quality is a prerequisite for human societies and natural ecosystems. To adequately feed 9.3 billion people in 2050, consumptive water use (i.e. transpired water) by all food and fodder crops needs to increase from its present estimated level of 7000 km3/year to 12,586 km3/year. However, fresh water resources are increasingly getting scarce because of increased competition among a multitude of users. Getting agriculture to perform with progressively smaller allocation of renewable water resources will remain a challenge on global scale. To meet the challenge there is an urgent need to improve the crop water productivity to ensure the sustainability of agriculture. 
 
Methods: An experiment was carried out at village Menawali, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan during both kharif and rabi seasons to assess productivity, economics, N-uptake and water use of different crops. An area of 187 ha comprising 25 farmers irrigated by common irrigation channels were selected to collect the information. The information required i.e. soil, crop management, growth, phonological, yields, water balance, N-uptake and water use efficiency of each crops were collected from 15 farmers. Bt-cotton and clusterbean of kharif and wheat and Indian mustard in rabi were prominent crops, cotton-wheat, cotton-mustard, clusterbean-wheat and clusterbean-mustard were major cropping sequences of the study region. 
 
Result: In kharif season, Bt-cotton gave higher economic yields than clusterbean and amongst rabi season crops, economic yields of wheat and mustard were 4255, 1778 kg/ha, respectively. The economic yield of cropping sequences varied from 3741-6514 kg/ha and were higher for cotton-wheat (6218 kg/ha), intermediate for clusterbean-wheat (5785 kg/ha) and lower for cotton-mustard (3741 kg/ha) and clusterbean-mustard (3308 kg/ha). The cotton-wheat (₹1181.2 mm) sequence had highest water use. Clusterbean-wheat cropping system recorded highest water productivity (16.5 kg/ha mm) followed by clusterbean-mustard (14.9 kg/ha mm). The clusterbean-mustard (₹456/ha mm) cropping sequence was most profitable and fetched highest net return followed by clusterbean-wheat (₹383/ha mm).</div>

Assessing Crop and Water Productivity Performance of Different Crops and Cropping Systems

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp] is the sixth most important food legume of the world and grown on about 5 million hectares globally in about 50 countries. India has the largest area (4 million ha.) under pigeon pea and accounts for about 80 per cent of area of the world. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2015-16 at Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna (M.P.) to find out the suitable pigeon pea based inter cropping system and their nutrient management. The 16 treatments were tested in split plot design in which 6 cropping system were kept in main plot and 2 fertility levels in sub plots. 
 
Result: Result showed that sole pigeon pea, sole black gram, sole green gram and sole sesame produced significantly higher seed and stover yield over intercropped mean. Under cropping system, yield attributes wear at par but the maximum grain yield of (744 kg ha-1) was recorded under pigeon pea + black gram (1:1) alternate rows but stover yield (3910 kg ha-1) in pigeon pea + sesame (1:1) alternate rows. As regards, the fertility levels, the yield contributing characters and yields were higher in 125% Recommended dose of Fertilizers (RDF). Intercropped black gram and intercropped green gram formed almost similar yield attributes and yields under both cropping system (1:1 and 2:2). The application of 125% RDF produced better yields attributes and yields of black gram and green gram. Intercropped and sole sesame produced and statistically equal yield contributes but seed and stover yields of sesame sole was significantly higher them intercropped sesame. Application of 125% RDF had superior yield attributes and yields of sesame. Pigeon pea + green gram (1:1 row ratio) with 125% RDF maximised the pigeon pea grain equivalent yield of 1505 kg ha-1, land equivalent ratio (1.65), net profit of ₹ 84826 per ha and benefit : cost ratio (4.68) followed by pigeon pea + green gram (2:2 row ratio) with 125% RDF.</div>

​Studies on Nutrient Management in Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] based Inter Cropping System

<div style="text-align: justify;">A field trial was conducted in 2016-2017 at Vegetable Seed Production Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana in randomized complete block design with three doses of nitrogen (125, 150 and 175 kg/ha) and four summer season vegetables (capsicum, chilli, cucumber and tomato) as intercrops replicated thrice. The maximum plant height (57.11 cm), number of leaves per plant (15.85), leaf size (394.87 cm2), leaf area index (3.39), plant spread (64 cm), head weight (176.72 g), number of axillary sprouts per plant (9.01), weight of axillary sprouts per plant (130.50 g) and total yield (145.47 q/ha) obtained with nitrogen @ 175 kg/ha were statistically at par with nitrogen @ 150 kg/ha. The statistical differences were found to be non-significant in intercropping systems but the sole crop of broccoli showed maximum values for growth and yield parameters. &nbsp;The highest benefit cost ratio (BCR: 3.74) and land equivalent ratio (LER: 1.67) were observed in broccoli + tomato followed by broccoli + chilli.&nbsp;</div>

Effect of nitrogen doses and inter crops on growth and yield of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica)

<div style="text-align: justify;">Improved and efficient irrigation water management through precise estimation of crop water requirement has a vital role to play in ensuring food security. However, the crop water requirement data of field crops are not locally available. In view of this, present investigation was aimed at quantifying the crop water requirement of rabi and kharif season crops grown under paired row planting in different agro climatic conditions of Madhya Pradesh. The crop water requirement was calculated based on the already developed crop coefficient and reference evapotranspiration. Daily weather data of 35 years (1979 to 2013) for twenty districts of Madhya Pradesh was collected to determine the reference evapotranspiration using Aquacrop model. The study revealed that the daily ETo increased continuously from 1st SMW to its maximum values during 21st-22nd SMW, thereafter decreased sharply and remains low from 30th to 34th SMW in all selected districts. The highest value of ETo (11.0 mm day-1) was found in Datia at 21st SMW and lowest in Betul i.e. 2.2 mm day-1 at 32nd SMW. The daily water requirement estimates showed that the water requirement of chickpea, wheat and lentil i.e. 1.73 lpd, 0.70 lpd and 0.49 lpd respectively is highest in Jabalpur. Sugarcane has the highest water requirement 13.56 lpd in Narsinghpur during mid season. &nbsp;In all kharif crops cotton has highest water requirement 6.53 lpd in Harda followed by sesame and groundnut i.e. 2.75 lpd and 2.46 lpd respectively in Datia. These results can be used in efficient management of irrigation water under drip irrigation system in selected district of Madhya Pradesh. &nbsp;</div>

Study on crop water requirement of field crops under different climatic conditions of Madhya Pradesh

<div style="text-align: justify;">Homestead farming has been the backbone agricultural economy of Kerala but the &nbsp;productivity of the homesteads in Kerala has yet to reach an &nbsp;acceptable &nbsp;level. In this paper the possibility of increasing the contribution of this sector through proper crop planning is sought. The optimum model was developed by using linear programming (LP) technique. The constraints included in the analysis were total area, intercropped area, investment amount and population of each enterprise. The optimum model reveal the scope of 22.83 per cent enhancement in net return as compared to net return from the existing plan. Sensitivity analysis of the optimum model revealed that further enhancement of net return in The agro-ecological region could be achieved by increasing the cropping intensity in the underutilized intercropped area and changing the binding enterprises.</div>

Determination of optimum crop mix for crop cultivation in Kerala homesteads

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Crop concentration focuses on the pre-dominance of certain crops over other crops in a specific area under study. On the other hand, crop diversification refers to the various types of crops grown in a specific time period under the study area. If the numbers of different types of crops grown in an area during a specified time period is more, the area will have the higher crop diversification and vice versa. So, crop concentration and crop diversification reveal changing pattern of competition among various crops for getting prominence over other crops. 
Methods: The present study was initiated to have an analysis of present situation regarding the crop concentration and crop diversification in Birbhum district of West Bengal over the years of 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 through interpretation of the data related with the area, production and productivity data of the major crops of the district obtained from the Govt. of India data source. (aps.dac.gov.in/APY/Public&shy;_Report1.apx). In this study, the crop concentration of Birbhum district is delineated with the help of the crop concentration Index of Bhatia (1965) and crop diversification is assessed with the help of the Gibbs and Martin Index of diversification (1962). 
Result: The present study clearly finds out that the crop concentration index of Birbhum district is low as the mean of the Indices is 34.01 with corresponding standard deviation (SD) of 0.2997 and co-efficient of variance (CV) of Indices is as low as 0.0088 over a period of five years from 2012-13 to 2016-17. This study also reveals that in Birbhum district only 2 crops having more than 10 per centage point share in the gross cropped area (GCA) of the district provides the farmers a wide scope of farming various different crops or group of crops. The present study also points out that the district has a fairly diversified pallet of crops as the Mean value of crop diversification indices is 00.64754 with a standard deviation of as negligible as 00.0001 with a minute CV of Indices of 00.00016 for the time period of 5 years i.e. from 2012-13 to 2016-17, having potential for further well planned diversification of the crops.</div>

Crop Concentration and Crop Diversification in Birbhum District of West Bengal: Recent Situations

Competing uses of crop residues and suggesting their management is one of the conservation agricultural practices which have a very efficient strategy to increase the soil fertility and crop productivity. Among the available organic sources of plant nutrients, crop residue is one of the most important sources for supplying nutrients to the crop and for improving soil health besides increasing the organic matter of the soil. Crop residue enhances the physical and chemical characteristics of soils and, in general, serves as a steady source of food for the fauna, flora and many creatures that inhabit the soil. The slope of the farmland determines how much crop residue is left on the farm. As a result, farmlands with steep slopes require a lot of crop leftovers, whereas farmlands with moderate slopes require fewer crop residues. The maintenance and productivity of the farmland, which results in fertile farmland and improved crop output, may be achieved if the principal obstacles pertaining to uses of agricultural leftovers were resolved.