On-farm Evaluation and System Productivity of Wheat-Jute-T. aman Rice Cropping Pattern in Char Area of Bangladesh

Abstract

A study was conducted for two consecutive years to determine the yield and system productivity of two cropping patterns viz. IP: (Wheat - Jute - T. aman) improved pattern with improved management practices and FP: (Fallow - Fallow - T. aman) farmers’ pattern with farmers’ management practices in char (adjacent to the river) area of Netrakona region of Bangladesh. The experimentswere laid out in a randomized complete block design with 10 dispersed replications at a farmer’s field. The two years mean data showed that the total component crops of IP (wheat-jute-T. aman rice) gave higher yield as well as a by-product in both years. The higherrice equivalent yield (10.52 and 10.63 tha-1), production efficiency (30.13 and 30.43 kg ha-1 day-1) land-use efficiency (87.13 and 87.84%)and benefit cost ratio (2.15 and 2.11) pointed out the dominance of the improvedpattern over the farmer’s existing pattern. Higher rice equivalentyield signified that improved cropping pattern (Wheat - Jute -T. aman) could be appropriate in Netrakona region for rising crop productivity andcropping intensity.The higher production efficiency, land use efficiency and benefit cost ratio indicated the superiority of the improved pattern over the farmers’ practices.It can be concluded that farmers of the char area of the Netrakona region might follow wheat (var. BARI Gom-26) - jute (var. O-9897) - T. aman (var. BRRI dhan49) cropping system in char land for higher productivity and profitability.