Yield And Economics of Sesame Based Cropping System In North Coastal Zone of Andhra Prades

A field experiment was conducted during 2011 rabi and 2012 kharif at Agricultural Research Station, Yellamanchili. In the first year of experimentation rabi 2011-12, sole crop sesamum was sown in bulk as base crop or main crop to study sesame based cropping system with other sequential crops greengram, groundnut, cowpea, ragi, fodder cowpea and sunhemp, sunhemp fodder sown during kharif . Average yield of sesamum sown during rabi was 380 kg/ha. During kharif 2012 all the crops were sown on 12-06-2012, the yields realized by different crops were converted into sesamum equivalent yield. The prevailing sesame- horsegram sequence cropping system is not at all remunerative to the farmers and hence introduction of new crops in the cropping system with, Maize, Ragi, ID crops and with other cropping systems were tried when there is deficit in rain fall for maximum profitability. The initial soil sample analysis revealed a pH of 6.7, Electrical Conductivity dsm-1 of 0.17, Organic Carbon % of 0.51in the experimental site. Available N was 247 kg/ha, P2O5 29 and available K2O was 262 kg/ha. The results revealed that the cost of cultivation, gross income, net income and the BC ratio was highest for T7 (Sesame-maize). The same is the case with rabi season also, where in the net income and the benefit cost ratio was Rs.50329 and 4.35, respectively. In the cropping sequence, highest BC ratio was recorded with T7- Sesame- maize - sunhemp (Green manure) 3.91 with sesamum and maize crop only, Green manure crop (Sunhemp) is an added advantage crop to improve soil fertility. The other highest recorded B C ratio was with Sesamum-ragi and Sesamum- cowpea based cropping system with 2.92 and 2.83.