Diversification and intensification of rice fallow with pea and potato in Sikkim
Rice fallow diversification in Sikkim
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21921/jas.v13i02.15283Keywords:
Front line demonstration, Pea, Potato, rice-fallow, Zero tillageAbstract
Frontline demonstrations on garden pea (TSX-10) and potato (Kufri Sindhuri) was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Namthang, South Sikkim, India. A total of 30 farmers were selected for both pea (20 farmers) and potato (10 farmers) demonstrations in NICRA adopted village Rabitar during the year 2025-26. The experimental results revealed that average yield of rice, pea and potato were 35.24 q/ha, 90.22 q/ha and 140.30 q/ha, respectively. Highest REY was recorded in rice-pea system (155.56 q/ha) followed by rice-potato (105.40 q/ha). However, the highest system production efficiency was recorded in rice-potato (66.24 kg/ha/day) than rice-pea system (58.35 kg/ha/day). The data regarding technology gap (9.46 q/ha), index (5.11 %) and LUE (72.60 %) was found better in rice-potato cropping system than rice-pea system. In regard to economics, rice-potato system had higher net returns (₹256300/ha) and system economic efficiency (₹754.71/ha/day). However, higher B:C ratio (3.73:1) was recorded in rice-pea cropping system. This demonstration indicated that inclusion of pea or potato is a feasible strategy for enhancing productivity, crop intensity and generation of significant income for farmer’s livelihood in Sikkim.
References
Banerjee A, Bhattacharya S, Yadav S, Bhargav Srivastava, S, Mustkeem M, Singh R and Chauhan K. 2024. Horticulture at a Glance. URL: https://agriwelfare.gov.in/Documents/HORTICULTURAL_STATISTICS_AT_A_GLANCE_2024.pdf
Das A, Patel D P, Munda G C, Ghosh P K, Saha R and Kumar B J. 2010. Productivity and soil nutrient balance sheet as influenced by in situ biomass recycling in rice-vegetable cropping sequences. Environment and Ecology 28:160-163.
Kalita J, Deka B and Kalita D N. 2018. Assessment of rice-based cropping systems for maximizing productivity and profitability in Kamrup district of Assam. Int. J. Agricul. Sci. 10: 7209-11.
Saurabh K, Kumar R, Mishra J S, Singh A K, Mondal S, Meena R S, Choudhary J S, Biswas A K, Kumar M, Roy H S, Singh N R, Yadav S K, Upadhyaya A, Hans H, Jeet P, Sundaram P K and Raman R K. 2022. Sustainable intensification of rice fallows with oilseeds and pulses: Effects on soil aggregation, organic carbon dynamics, and crop productivity in eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains. Sustainability 14(17): 11056.
Kumar M, Meena K L, Rajkhowa D J, Baishya L K, Das A, Kumar R and Namei A. 2019. Crop innovative approach for cultivation of green gram in Jhum rice-fallow for doubling the farmers under Longleng District of Nagaland. Innovative Farming 49: 32-36.
Kumar R, Das A, Mondal S, Upadhyay P K, Bhatt B P, Mishra J S, Singh A K, Choudhary J S, Kumar S, Sundaram P K, Biswas A K, Rathore S S, Singh R K, Parameswari P, Singh D K, Kumar S, Ahmad A, Saurabh K, Shubha K, Kumar A, Manibhushan, Jeet P, Prakash V, Jha B K, Naik S K, Mali S S, Kumar R, Ahirwal S K, Singh V K, Mandal D, Roy M K, Choudhary A K, Rajpoot S K and Chaudhari S K. 2025. Greening rice-fallow areas: integrating pulses and oilseeds for sustainable cropping in eastern India. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 9: 1502759.
Kumar M, Rajkhowa D J, Meena K L, Kumar R, Zeliang K P, Kikon L, Rangnamei K L and Namei A. 2017. Effect of nutrient management in lowland rice for improving productivity, profitability and energetics under the mid hill of Nagaland. Journal of Agrisearch 4(4): 247-250.
Kumar M, Singh R, Avasthe R K, Singh J K, Pathak P K and Tamang B. 2021. Exploring possibilities of potato cultivation in rice-fallow of Sikkim. Journal of AgriSearch 8(2): 155-158.
Kumar M, Singh R, Avasthe R K, Pathak P K, Singh J K and Tamang B. 2024. Success story on zero-tillage garden pea cultivation in rice-fallow under East district of Sikkim. Indian Journal of Hill Farming 37:19-23. DOI: 10.56678/iahf-2024.37.01.3
Kumar R, Deka B C, Kumawat N, Ngachan S V. 2014. Effect of integrated nutrition, biofertilizers and zinc application on production potential and profitability of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in eastern Himalaya, India. Legume Research -An International Journal 37: 614-617. doi: 10.5958/0976-0571.2014.00685.7
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Obadiya Rai, Pravesh Shivakoty, Indra Prasad Shivakoty, Yangchenla Bhutia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Publisher and Authors