Optimizing organic and inorganic fertilizer recommendation in rainfed pothowar region of pakistan: a case of barley sorghum and barley mungbean crop rotations

Abstract

The paper describes the optimizing organic and inorganic fertilizers recommendations for barley-sorghum and barley-mungbean crop rotations under rainfed conditions. Optimization is based on returns to investment based on partial budget analysis using two years (2007-2009) trials data conducted at University Research Farm, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi under rain fed conditions. Five different treatments including T₀ as Control, T₁ with farmyard Manure (FYM) @ 30 tons ha^-1, T₂ include NPK @120-80-60 @ kg ha^-1, T₃ using poultry manure @ 20 tons ha^-1, T₄ included compost (Press mud) @ 12.5 tons ha^-1 and in T₅, Inoculation by Phosphorus mobilizing microorganisms @ 2.5 packets ha^-1 was used only for barley while sorghum and mungbean were planted on the residual nutrients. Net benefits for the T₃ were highest mainly due to high barley yield and marginal rate of return are also high. The results were also confirmed using residual analysis. The study concludes that cropping sequence tends to be low inputs and risk avoiding technique for fulfillment of subsistence objectives. Economic evaluation with Partial budgeting and profitability comparison is minimum extension to measure or compare different cropping sequences. Farmers could adopt the more economical inputs and technique to get the maximum returns from the market by using partial budget keeping in view the cost of production and net benefits.