Production and Profitability of Diversified Intensive Cropping System Suitable for North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu

Background: Cropping system is an essential component of a farming system. Farmers use a variety of cropping systems based on their expertise, scientific validation is essential before recommending a certain cropping system for a specific area. The purpose of the study was to determine the yield and profitability of a diversified intensive cropping system with nutrient management strategies that are more productive and profitable than existing ones for Tamil Nadu’s North Western Zone. Methods: With four replications, the experiment was set up in a strip plot style. Five treatments were used, one of which included intensive diversified cropping systems viz., C1: Groundnut-chillies-greengram, C2: Groundnut + redgram (6:1)-sorghum-blackgram, C3: Maize + fodder cowpea (1:1) - sunflower-greengram, C4: Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato-blackgram, C5: Brinjal + onion (1:2) - cowpea-sunnhemp were taken in main-plots and five nutrient management practices treatments were imposed in sub-plots, including farm yard manure at 12.5 t/ha and vermicompost at 2.5, 5 and 7.5 t/ha, as well as fertilisers at variable levels of 100, 75 and 50 per cent were imposed in sub-plots. Result: Higher total system groundnut equivalent yield was recorded in Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato - blackgram cropping system with respect to nutrient management it was recorded higher in farmyard manure @ 12.5 t/ha along with application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer. Higher B:C ratio and net return was recorded in Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato - blackgram cropping system in terms of nutrient management it was recorded higher in farmyard manure @ 12.5 t/ha along with application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer.