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The field experiments were conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Amadalavalasa, Andhra Pradesh, India during kharif (May and July to October and November) and rabi (Novem and December to variable) of 2018-2020 to evaluate mesta based cropping sequences. Mesta variety AMV 5 was grown during kharif season followed by groundnut (K6), maize (Madhuri), clusterbean (vegetable), greengram (LGG 460), sunnhemp (SH4) and blackgram (LBG 752) during rabi season. Mesta-groundnut/clusterbean crop sequence occupied the field for 256 days followed by mesta-sunnhemp 241 days, mesta-maize (sweet corn) 236 days, mesta-blackgram 231 days mesta-greengram 216 days, while sole mesta occupied the field only for 136 days. Combined analysis of the experimental data revealed that Mesta-Maize (5013 kg ha-1) cropping sequence has produced significantly higher mesta equivalent yield followed by Mesta-Groundnut (4297 kg ha-1) and Mesta-Sunnhemp (2972 kg ha-1). Mesta-Maize has recorded higher system productivity (21.24 kg ha-1 day-1), profitability (₹325 ha-1 day-1, gross returns (₹198302 ha-1), net returns (₹119253 ha-1), BC ratio (2.51) and Relative Economic Efficiency (5.39) followed by Mesta-Groundnut and Mesta-Sunnhemp cropping sequence. Mesta growing farmers of north coastal zone of Andhra Pradesh can realize high productivity and earn profitable returns by adapting Mesta-Maize or Mesta-Groundnut or Mesta-Sunnhemp cropping sequence instead of growing sole mesta based on the available resources and prevailing market demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesta (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is an important fibre crop in the north coastal zone of Andhra Pradesh which accounts for 59% of India's total production of mesta. The area under this crop has reduced dramatically in recent years and in order to understand the contribution of weather to this decline, long-term experimental data (14 years) on mesta cv. AMV-4 and regional crop yields were analysed. Crop yields decreased in seasons when rainfall exceeded 900 mm and maximum temperature remained below 32.0°C during 10–16 weeks after sowing (WAS), which coincided with the active vegetative stage. The average yields of the region were high when seasonal rainfall ranged between 600 and 725 mm. Increased fibre yields were observed when increasing seasonal rainfall coincided with maximum temperatures exceeding 33.5°C. Fibre yields from a long-term experiment showed strong positive correlations with maximum temperature during 6–16 WAS (r = 0.79) and with mean diurnal temperature range (8.6–10.7°C) during 11–19 WAS (r = 0.66). Step-wise regression showed that maximum variability in fibre yield was explained by maximum temperature which could be used to develop models to predict yield at least one month in advance with acceptable accuracy. This prediction could then be used as an input for crop planning and market intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]