Sandeep Kumar

The rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system faces major challenges such as stagnant yields, high input and energy demands, and increasing soil and air pollution. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is a promising crop for diversification within rice‐based ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different sowing dates and nutrient sources on energy budgeting in diversified Indian mustard and to assess the impact of these nutrient sources on heat‐cum‐carbon efficiency. The experiment was conducted using a split‐plot design (SPD) with three sowing dates—November 17, November 27, and December 07—in the main plots, and eight nutrient sources in the subplots, where the recommended dose of fertilizer was 100 N:50 P₂O₅:50 K₂O:40 S kg ha⁻¹. The results, based on pooled data, indicated that among the sowing dates, November 17 recorded the highest values for several key metrics. These include energy use efficiency (EUE: 3.46, 5.12, and 12.16), energy production (EP: 0.152, 0.41, and 0.56 kg MJ⁻¹), net energy (NE: 29,712, 50,483, and 92,558 MJ ha⁻¹), energy profitability (EPr: 2.46, 2.88, and 6.34), human energy profitability (HEP: 364.82, 412.60, and 777.42), energy output efficiency (EOE: 364.69, 412.49, and 777.18 MJ d⁻¹), carbon output (CO: 815, 2215, and 3030 kg CE ha⁻¹), carbon efficiency (CE: 2.07, 5.59, and 7.66), and carbon sustainability index (CSI: 1.07, 4.59, and 6.66) for seed, stover, and biological yield, respectively, compared to the crops sown on November 27 and December 07. The study also revealed significant increases in heat use efficiency (HUE) on dry matter at 45 and 90 days after sowing (DAS) and on seed, stover, and biological yield (13.3, 8.46, 1.52, 4.16, and 5.69 kg ha⁻¹°C days, respectively). In the subplots, the highest EUE (3.92, 5.10, and 12.1), EP (0.172, 0.408, and 0.58 kg ha⁻¹), and EPr (2.92, 2.86, and 6.78) for seed, stover, and biological yield were observed in the control treatment, outperforming the other nutrient sources on a pooled basis. The highest SE production (8.59, 3.48, and 2.47 MJ kg⁻¹) for seed, stover, and biological yield was recorded with the application of 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) combined with Azotobacter and phosphorus‐solubilizing bacteria (PSB). Furthermore, the highest NE (35,427, 52,203, and 102,370 MJ ha⁻¹), HEP (434.02, 438.67, and 872.68), EOE (448.37, 452.68, and 901.04 MJ d⁻¹), CO (972, 2359, and 3331 kg CE ha⁻¹), CE (2.48, 6.01, and 8.48), CSI (1.48, 5.01, and 7.48), and HUE (1.67, 4.12, and 5.81 kg ha⁻¹°C days) for seed, stover, and biological yield were observed with the application of 75% RDF + 25% nitrogen from pressmud, combined with Azotobacter and PSB. This study provides a novel framework for optimizing sowing dates and nutrient sources that can lead to the development of an energy‐efficient, heat‐cum‐carbon‐efficient, and eco‐friendly production system. Its findings offer scalable solutions for enhancing sustainability and reducing environmental footprints in rice‐based cropping systems.

This study aimed to know the potential of different cropping modules (CMs) that started on the degraded land representing 4450 km² of the Vindhyan region of India. The objective of the study was to know (i) the higher carbon dioxide (CO₂) biosequestration, (ii) enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions, and (iii) generate carbon (C) credit to the additional income as a climate currency to the farmers. The experiment was carried out on 4–13 years (2010–2022) old practiced CMs viz; (1) Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) + bajra (Pennisetum glaucum), 13‐year; (2) Guava (Psidium guajava) + phalsa (Grewia asiatica), 4‐year; (3) Teak (Tectona grandis) + wheat (Triticum aestivum), 10‐year; (4) Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), 13‐year; (5) Pasture land, 13‐year, and (6) Rice (Oryza sativa),13‐year. Soil samples were collected from two depths (0–0.15 and 0.15–0.30 m) under 82.7 and 83.33 East longitude and 23.52 and 25.32 North latitudes. Results showed that the mean data of depths pH and electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 4.4–8.1 and 0.10–0.77 dS m⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, the mean data of both depths' bulk density (ρ_b) varied between 1.3 and 1.5 Megagram (Mg) m⁻³. The mean data of both depths available soil organic C (ASOC) (7.25 g kg⁻¹) and SOC stock (14.43 Mg ha⁻¹) in the pasture land‐based CMs found 137.7% and 111.0% more over rice‐based CMs (3.05 g kg⁻¹ and 6.84 Mg ha⁻¹), respectively. The maximum permanganate oxidizable carbon (POX‐C), microbial biomass C in soil (MBCS), and total organic C (TOC) stock based on mean data of both depths were 798.2 mg kg⁻¹, 92.6 μg g⁻¹, and 46.3 Mg ha⁻¹ found in pasture land‐based CMs. Regarding mean data of both depths, the recalcitrant index (RI) and lability index (LI) ranged about 0.4–0.9 and 1.7–2.0, respectively. Moreover, the highest total CO₂ biosequestration (124.7 Mg ha⁻¹), C credit (US$ 6233 ha⁻¹), and the social cost (US$ 10,720 ha⁻¹) were observed in eucalyptus + bajra‐based CMs. Based on the principal component analysis (PCA) study, the principal component 1 (PC1) and PC2 explained 74.6 and 16.6% variability on various parameters, respectively. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between ASOC and MBCS was 0.74. The hypothesis of this study was to create agricultural CMs that would restore degraded land levels of SOC fraction, enhance the CO₂ biosequestration, and generate C‐credit for farmers as a climate currency for additional income. Furthermore, it will fulfil the net zero emission goal and bring down neutral land degradation.

Background: Chickpea is the third-most important food legume in the world. Chickpea is less remunerative than raya, linseed and fenugreek. Hence there is a gradual shift in cropping patterns from sole chickpea to its intercropping with raya, linseed and fenugreek. Intercropping offers potential advantages over sole cropping. Since information on the relative yield, competition, land use and economics of chickpea intercropping with raya, linseed and fenugreek is lacking, hence the present experiment was undertaken. Methods: A field experiment was performed at CCSHAU, Hisar, during two consecutive winter seasons, i.e., 2020-21 and 2021-22, following a randomized block design comprising nineteen treatments, replicating thrice. The study was aimed to evaluate the chickpea-based intercropping in row replacement system with fenugreek, linseed and raya as an intercrop with row ratio of 4:4, 5:3, 6:2, 3:5 and 2:6 for chickpea + intercrop along with their sole crop. Result: Chickpea + fenugreek (6:2) intercropping was found utmost efficient and suitable, having significantly higher LER (1.20), CEY (2396 kg/ha), LUE (119.3), ATER (1.18), A (0.53), RCC (4.18), MAI (18838), SPI (2208), IAI (34.6), net return (Rs. 96,170/ha) and benefit cost ratio (3.79).