Energy auditing of a maize–wheat–greengram cropping system under conventional and conservation agriculture in irrigated north-western Indo-Gangetic Plains.

This study evaluated energy requirements and input-output energy relationship in a maize-wheat-greengram cropping system under conventional and conservation agriculture. Conventional tillage with flat bed (CTF) and raised bed (CTB) and zero tillage with flat bed (ZTF) and raised bed (ZTB) were supplemented with crop residue management viz., no residue (CON), wheat residue in maize crop (WR), maize residue in wheat crop (MR) and wheat + maize residue in both maize & wheat crops (WMR). Results showed that ZTB (89170 MJ/ha) consumed 8% lower input energy than CTF. ZTB saved 91% and 38% energy in land preparation and irrigation, respectively. The output and net energy return were significantly higher with ZTF (387235 MJ/ha; 295397 MJ/ha), which were 2.0% higher than ZTB. Energy ratio and productivity were significantly higher with ZTB. WMR contributed the highest input and output energy and lowered energy ratio and productivity. Reduced energy ratio and energy productivity can be ignored as it returned to soil to improve its quality. Surface retained residues had better effect on crop productivity. With this view, ZTB with WMR was better and would be a substitute of the conventional agricultural system for adoption in maize-wheat-greengram cropping system in the irrigated north western Indo-Gangetic Plains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]