SUSTAINABILITY OF CROPPING SYSTEMS UNDER DRYLAND CONDITIONS OF VERTISOL

An experiment was conducted during 1983-90 on Vertisol to study the su stainability of cropping systems under rainfed condition. Gram (Cicer arietinum L.) crop was - sustainable than sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L. ) Moench] and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). Inclusion of gram i n system was more beneficial than continuously growing sorghum or saff lower. Grain yield of winter sorghum was improved by 34%, stover by 45 %, monetary returns by Rs 2,066/ha and that of safflower wed by 14% an d monetary returns by Rs 628/ha owing to inclusion of gram crop in the system compared with continuously growing either sorghum or safflower . Sustainability-yield index was also higher when gram crop was includ ed in the system. Half the recommended. level of fertilizer was found adequate compared with the recommended level of fertilizer application to sorghum and safflower under dry-farming conditions. However, addit ional monetary returns (Rs 560/ha) were obtained with recommended leve l of fertilizer to gram crop. Previous year cropping of gram with reco mmended level of fertilizer showed the advantage over current year's c ropping of sorghum at 50 kg N/ha. Continuous growing of safflower incr eased the incidence of Rhizoctonia bataticola.