Evaluating the Agronomic Performance and Economic Viability of Wheat–Lentil Double Cropping System: A Focus on Lentil Seed Rate and Varieties

The increasing global demand for food, along with the challenges posed by climate change and resource scarcity, requires innovative agricultural practices that enhance productivity and sustainability. Double cropping, the practice of growing two crops in the same growing season, has emerged as a practical strategy to maximize land use efficiency and improve farm income. A field experiment was conducted during the 2021–2022 cropping seasons in the Dendi District of the West Shewa Zone to evaluate the agronomic and economic performance of a wheat–lentil double‐cropping system in Ethiopia, focusing on optimizing lentil seed rate and variety. An early‐maturing wheat variety (Wani) was planted first, followed by lentil. The double‐cropping experiment included three lentil varieties (Denbi, Derash, and Alemaya) and three seed rates: the recommended rate (RR), a 25% increase, and a 50% increase over the RR. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed significant effects of seed rate and variety on lentil grain and biomass yields across both years. The highest grain yield was achieved at a 50% increase in seed rate, followed by a 25% increase. In 2021, the Derash variety yielded the most, while in 2022, Denbi outperformed both Derash and Alemaya. Economic analysis, including net benefit (NB) and marginal rate of return (MRR), indicated that the wheat–lentil double‐cropping system is more profitable than monocropping. Specifically, using the Denbi variety at a 50% increased seed rate provided the highest NB (231,260 and 280,940 ETB ha −1 in 2021 and 2022, respectively) over 2 years. These findings highlight the economic viability of adaptive strategies in double cropping to enhance resource use and crop productivity. Therefore, in vertisol areas, practicing wheat–lentil double cropping with the Denbi variety at a seed rate of 50% above the RR (98 kg/ha) is likely to be profitable.