RICE BASED CROPPING SYSTEM FOR RAIN-FED UPLAND OF EASTERN INDIA

Field trials were conducted during 1984-87 at the Institute Farm and farmers' fields to find out suitable rice based cropping system for rainfed uplands of eastern India. Among the various systems tested, intercropping 4 rows of short duration rice in between pigeonpea rows was most productive and remunerative at CRRI while 4 rows of groundnut intercropped between pigeonpea rows gave maximum net return at farmers' fields. The present system of broadcast seeding upland rice followed by broadcast of blackgram/horsegram on residual moisture could profitably be replaced by these systems or adopting the row seeding of upland rice (sole or intercropped with greengram) followed by deep seeding of horsegram with a moderate dose of P2O5 (20 kg/ha) for higher yield and stability of the system as a whole. Intercropping system, however, had an edge, over sequential cropping as the latter needs higher cost of management and lack of soil moisture in case of deficient rain beyond October precluding sowing of rabi crops.