A Study of Pules Oriented Cropping Patterns Under Rainfed and Irrigated Conditions

A survey on agro-economic performance of farmers' cropping patterns was conducted during 1980-81 and 1981-82 at the Farming Systems Research Site, Kalikapur, Ishurdi, Pabna. The site is located at 24°08.0°N Latitude, 89002.5'E Longitude and 15 meters above the sea level. Twenty farmers each belonging to large, medium and small farm holdings were selected from the site to col- lect agro-economic information on farmers' predominant cropping patterns. The survey results of 1980-81 revealed that as many as 43 (thirty seven rainfed and six irrigated) cropping patterns were in existence in the area represented by Sara, Gopalpur, Ishurdi and Ghior Soil Series. The number of cropping patterns in 1981-42 were 45 - thirty eight rainfed and seven irrigated. Out of these, 12 patterns viz.(i)B.aus-Blackgram-Wheat, (ii) B.aus-Blackgram- Lentil+ mustard, (iii) B.aus-Fallow-Lentil+mustard, (iv) B.aus Blackgram-Lentil+linseed, (v) B.aus-Blackgram-Chickpeat linseed, (vii) B.aus-Fallow-Mustard (viii) B.aus-Mungbean-Mustard, (ix) Jute-Fallow-Mustard (X) Sesame- Fallow-Lentil+mustard (xi) B.aus+B.aman-Khesari and (xii) B.aman (vi) B.aus-Fallow-Chickpea -Chickpeatbarley were under rainfed condition. Under irrigated condition, six patterns viz., (i) T.aman (LIV)-Boro, (ii) T.aus T.aman-Wheat, (iii) T.aus-T.aman-Boro, (iv) T.aman (MV)-Boro, T.aus-T.aman, (vi) B.aman-Boro were predominant. The patterns B.aus-Blackgram-Lentil+mustard (v) and B.aus-Mungbean-Mustard, B.aus-Blackgram-Chickpeat linseed under rainfed condition; and T. aus-T.aman-Wheat and T. aus-T.aman -Boro under irrigated condi- tion were found to be superior in respect of productivity and monetary returns. With a view to exploring the possibility of enhancing produc- tivity and economic returns of the farmers, several trials were conducted during the periods April-March in 1981-82 and 1982-83. Eight modified cropping patterns (four under rainfed and four under irrigated situations) were designed with some changes of sequence in cropping, crops, varieties and systems. The rainfed modified patterns viz. (1) Mungbean-B.aus-Wheat, (ii) Maize +blackgram -Mungbean-Chickpea, (iii) B.aus-Blackgram-Maize (iv) B.aus-Mungbean -Mustard were tested against the predominant farmers' rainfed patterns such as (i) B.aus-Blackgram-Wheat, and (ii) B.aus-Blackgram-Chickpea+linseed, (iii) B.aus-Blackgram-Lentil +mustard and (iv) B.aus-Fallow-Lentil+mustard. The irrigated modi- fied cropping patterns viz. (i) T. aus (MV)-Mungbean(s) tard(MV), (ii) T.aus (MV) Maize+mungbean (s)-T.aman -Wheat+lentil(L)-Mungbean -Mus- -Mungbean (s)-Mustard (L)-Boro (MV), (iii) (MV)-Wheat and (iv) T.aus(MV)-T. aman (MV) (s) were tested against predominant farmers' irrigated patterns such as (1) T.aman (LIV) -Boro(MV), (ii) T.aus (MV)-T. aman (MV)-Wheat and (iii) T.aus (LIV) -T.aman (MV) -Boro(MV). The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with five replications.