Advances in Research

This study examined alternative cropping systems for sugarcane in command areas by integrating different crops for sustaining the productivity and famers’ income throughout the year. A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Hukkeri, Belagavi, Karnataka, India during 2018-19 and 2019-20. There were 11 treatments involving different cropping systems viz., soybean - sorghum - ridge gourd, pigeon pea + green gram(1:1) - beans, pigeon pea + soybean(1:1) - cowpea, soybean - wheat - groundnut , groundnut - sorghum - sesame,  maize - cabbage - fallow , soybean - wheat - green gram, maize - wheat - sesame, Bt cotton - groundnut,  sugarcane + onion (1:2)  and sugarcane (sole) replicated thrice and laid out in randomized complete block design. The intercropping treatments were in additive series. 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) (Rs.1,21,919 ha^-1 and 1.97, respectively). Based on alternative cropping systems involving only field crops, significantly higher net returns and B:C ratio were recorded compared to 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 Zone of Karnataka.