INCREASING CROPPING INTENSITY AND PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH FOUR CROPS BASED CROPPING PATTERN IN DINAJPUR REGION OF BANGLADESH

A four crops-based trial was conducted for the two consecutive years at MLT site Raniganj, Sadar, Dinajpur and Kashiatola, Ghoraghat, Dinajpur during 2015-16 and 2016-17 to develop a sustainable and economically profitable cropping pattern Potato-Boro-T. Aus-T. Aman against the farmers existing pattern Fallow-Boro-Fallow-T.Aman. The experiment was carried out in RCB design with six dispersed replications. Suitable and short duration high yield potential varieties of different crops Potato ((BARI Alu-7), Boro (BRRRI dhan28) T.Aus (BRRI dhan48) and T.Aman (BRRI dhan62) were selected for the experiment. Grain yield of rice and potato tuber yield was satisfactory. Inclusion of two crops (Potato and T. Aus rice) in the existing pattern attributed to the higher system productivity. The improved alternate cropping pattern produced the higher gross return and gross margin compared to the farmers existing pattern. The marginal benefit cost ratio (MBCR) over the existing pattern was 2.01 at Ghoraghat and 1.85 at Raniganj which indicated the superiority of the alternate pattern over the farmer’s practice. Potato based cropping pattern could be most suitable and profitable pattern in these areas. From the two years observations in both the locations, four crops pattern could be recommended for higher system productivity and economic benefit along with for more employment opportunity.