Productivity and profitability assessment of organically grown vegetables embedded in rice based cropping sequences in Sikkim Himalayas, North East India

ABSTRACT

Aim: The objective of the present study was to identify economically viable, profitable and resource efficient vegetables embedded rice-based cropping sequences under organic management for marginal and small farmers of Sikkim Himalayas, India.Methodology: Three-year fixed plot study was conducted to evaluate seven rice–based cropping sequences viz., rice–fallow (farmers’ practice), rice–fenugreek (leafy vegetable), rice–coriander (leaves), rice–radish, rice–broccoli, rice–potato and rice–vegetable pea were replicated four-times in a completely randomized block design. Results: Among the various rice – based cropping sequences, cultivation of rice–coriander (leaves) recorded higher production (67.3 kg ha-1 day-1), system productivity (24.6 t ha-1), relative economic efficiency (1040%) and net returns (376.1x103). However, rice-broccoli and rice–vegetable pea sequences recorded 8.6 and 4.4% higher B C ratio, respectively, over the rice–coriander system. With regards to soil health, rice – vegetable pea cropping sequences resulted in maximum improvement in soil organic carbon (SOC) (1.26%), available soil N (415.2 kg ha-1), P (22.8 kg ha-1) and K (411.5 kg ha-1), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) (344.7 µg MBC g-1 soil), dehydrogenase activity (DHA) (24.0 µg TPFg-1 soil h-1) and fluorescin di acetate (FDA) (38.8 µg FDAg-1 soil h-1) among the cropping sequences. Interpretation: Induction of vegetables in rice–fallow system under assured irrigation condition of Sikkim Himalayas, India not only enhances the farm productivity and profitability but also sustain the soil health on long term basis. Thus, rice-vegetable pea/coriander/broccoli based production systems under organic management hold great promises for sustaining livelihood of organic growers in Sikkim Himalayas over conventional rice– fallow system.