Production potential, profitability, sustainability and energetics of different wheat (Triticum aestivum)-based cropping systems

A field experiment was conducted in farmers' fields in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, during the rainy and winter seasons of 2004–2007 to study the production potential, profitability, sustainability and energetics of different wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori and Paol.]-based cropping systems, such as maize (Zea mays L.)-wheat, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)-wheat, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]-wheat and clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taubert]-wheat. The groundnut-wheat cropping system recorded the highest wheat-grain equivalent yield (8,018 kg ha−1), gross returns (78,260 Rs ha−1), net returns (51,137 Rs ha−1), land use efficiency (70.41%), production efficiency (31.20 kg ha−1day−1), sustainable yield index (0.79), sustainable value index (0.78) and total calorific value (105.7 × 103 MJ ha−1). However, benefit:cost ratio (2.43:1) and monetary efficiency (201.90 Rs ha−1day−1) were highest in clusterbean-wheat. The maize-wheat recorded the highest total input energy (33.71 × 103 MJ ha−1), output energy (259.80 × 103 MJ ha−1), energy use efficiency (7.71), energy output efficiency (1,129.6 MJ ha−1day−1) and energy intensiveness (10.80 MJ Re−1). The groundnut-wheat recorded the lowest value of energy intensiveness (8.55 MJ Re−1) while the highest energy productivity (246.0 g MJ−1) and lowest energy use efficiency (6.87) were achieved with the clusterbean-wheat cropping system.