Performance of flue-cured virginia tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)-based cropping systems under irrigated Alfisols of Andhra Pradesh

A field experiment with flue cured virginia tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum L.)-based cropping systems was con- ducted at Jeelugumilli, Andhra Pradesh, from 1997-98 to 1999-2000 to find out sustainable profitable production in irrigated Alfisols of Andhra Pradesh. The experiment comprised 10 cropping systems, i.e. fallow-tobacco, fal- low-tobacco-groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) groundnut-tobacco, gingelly (Sesamum indicum L.)-tobacco, soy- bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.1-tobacco, greengram-tobacco-sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] (fodder), blackgram-tobacco-maize (Zea mays L.), maize-tobacco, sunnhemp (in-situ green manuring)-tobacco and sunnhemp (in-situ green manuring)-tobacco-groundnut. Sunnhemp (in-situ green manuring)-tobacco, sunnhemp (in-situ green manuring)-tobacco-groundnut, greengram-tobacco-sorghum (fodder) and blackgram-tobacco- maize cropping sequences recorded more yields of tobacco and proved more remunerative than other sequences. A preceding legume of green-manure crop resulted in relatively higher nitrogen and nicotine in succeeding to- bacco. However, quality parameters of tobacco leaf in all the cropping sequences were within the acceptable lim- its.