PERFORMANCE OF LEGUME-SORGHUM (SORGHUM-BICOLOR) CROPPING SEQUENCE IN VERTISOLS

A field experiment with legume-sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] c ropping sequence was conducted on medium deep black soil during 1990-9 1, 1991-92 and 1993-94 at Solapur, to study its performance. The grain yield of sorghum was increased by 42 and 105% when preceded by (fodde r) cowpea [Vigna unquiculata (L.) Walp.] compared with blackgram (Phas eolus mungo L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] respectively. Sim ilar trend was noticed in stover yield, Application of 25 kg N/ha to s orghum increased the grain (42%) and stover yields (40%) over the cont rol. Higher sustainable-yield index (0.55) and sustainable-value index (0.46) were obtained from (fodder) cowpea-sorghum sequence. The next best sequence was found blackgram-sorghum, with sustainable-value inde x of 0.44. The available N content of soil increased and also maintain ed in the (fodder) cowpea-sorghum sequence.