POSSIBILITY AND PROSPECTS OF DOUBLE-CROPPING SEQUENCES UNDER RAIN-FED, UPLAND SITUATION

An experiment was conducted during 1985-87 to study the possibility an d prospects of the double-cropping sequences comprising rice (Oryza sa tiva L.), maize (Zea mays L), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and litt le millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth ex Roem. & Schult.), each followed by toria (Brassica napus L. var napus sensu stricto). linseed (Linum u sitatissimum L.) and niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) Cass.) under r ainfed, upland situation at Ghumusar Udayagiri. Among the rainy-season crops (rice, maize, groundnut and little millet), the highest average grain yield of 2 157 kg/ha was recorded with maize and least with lit tle millet. Linseed with the maximum grain yield (444 kg/ha) proved mo st suitable winter crop, followed by toria (391 kg/ha). In general, to ria gave the highest yield (500 kg/ha) after groundnut, linseed (597 k g/ha) after rice and niger (307 kg/ha) after little millet. Rice-linse ed, maize-toria and maize-linseed gave total grain yield of 2 284, 2 6 85 and 2 542 kg/ha and net return of Rs 1 126, 684 and 619/ha with cos t : benefit ratio of 1.20,1.12 and 1.1 respectively. Maize-toria follo wed by maize-linseed gave the maximum energy output (173 000 and 151 8 00 MJ/ha), energy output: input ratio (16.2 and 13.6) and energy-use e fficiency (913.4 and 765.3 kg/GJ/ha) for total produce despite high en ergy consumption. Rotations having niger as a second crop were inferio r to the other rotations for total grain and by-product yields, econom ics and energetics.