Energy auditing of diversified rice–wheat cropping systems in Indo-gangetic plains

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 34; no. 9; pp. 1091 - 1096
• Main Authors: Chaudhary, V.P., Gangwar, B., Pandey, D.K., Gangwar, K.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Cropping systems; Cropping systems. Cultivation. Soil tillage; Energy in agriculture; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Cropping systems and patterns; Input and output energy; Net return energy; Oryza sativa; Sesbania; Triticum aestivum; Asia; India; Uttar Pradesh; Net return energy; Cropping systems; Energy in agriculture; Input and output energy; Subtropical zone; Energy analysis; Energy use efficiency; Monocotyledones; Profitability; Cropping system; Diversification; Cereal crop; Oryza sativa; Input output analysis; Gramineae; Crop rotation; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2009.04.017

The field investigations were carried out for energy use analysis in terms of different input requirements and outputs harvested under the diversified rice–wheat cropping systems at the research farm of Project Directorate for Cropping Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut, India during the year 2000–2004. The experiments were conducted on rice (
Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (
Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori and Paol) system involving 8 sequences using diversification, furrow irrigated raised bed system (FIRB) of sowing wheat, use of summer period for deep ploughing or raising legume crops for seed or green manure to study the energy dynamics of different diversified cropping systems. Results revealed that total energy use was highest in rice–potato–wheat (i.e. 77,601
MJ/ha in flat bed & 75,697
MJ/ha in raised bed) followed by rice–wheat–sesbania (i.e. 48,770
MJ/ha in flat & 47,830
MJ/ha in raised bed) and rice–wheat–greengram (i.e. 48,414
MJ/ha in flat & 47,482
MJ/ha in raised bed). In overall, the raised bed sowing of wheat in the cropping system consumed 6–11% less fertilizer energy than flat bed while saved up to 4.2% energy through irrigation. The total output energy of the system was recorded significantly higher in rice–potato–wheat system (i.e. 222,836
MJ/ha in flat bed & 218,065
MJ/ha in raised bed) in comparison to rice–wheat–greengram (i.e. 177,477
MJ/ha in flat bed & 175,125
MJ/ha in raised bed), rice–wheat–sesbania (i.e. 172,000
MJ/ha in flat bed & 168,919
MJ/ha in raised bed) and rice–wheat system (i.e. 156,085
MJ/ha in flat bed & 151,862
MJ/ha in raised bed). The significantly higher net return of energy was obtained in rice–potato–wheat system as compared to other systems. This system required about 75% more input energy but provided about 42% more output energy compared to conventional rice–wheat system. About 10% higher output energy was obtained through growing greengram in summer for grain and foliage incorporation while 14% gain obtained by green manuring sesbania, when compared to deep summer ploughing after wheat harvest.