EFFECT OF IPNS ON PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF MAIZE BASED CROPPING SYSTEM ON FARMERS’ FIELD

Field experiment was conducted during rabi seasons of 2000-01 and 2001-02. Maximum tuber yield of 16.53 t ha-1 was obtained with Sree Bhadra and the minimum of 2.66 t ha-1 with IB-90-12-29. The tuber yield increased with increase in levels of nitrogen and decreased with increase in number of cuttings. No cut treatment recorded higher tuber yield (14.07 t ha-1) and the reduction in tuber yields were 17.77 % due to 1st and 43.78 % due to second cut, respectively. On the contrary the total green herbage yield was maximum (21.24 t ha-1) in IB-90-12-29 and the minimum (18.14 t ha-1) in Sree Bhadra. It followed an increasing trend with increase in levels of nitrogen and number of cuttings being the highest in two cut treatment. The highest return per rupee invested of Rs.3.68 was obtained from cultivar Sree Bhadra when applied with higher doses of nitrogen i.e. 100 kg ha-1 under no cut management system. The cultivar Sree Bhadra accounted for the maximum total nitrogen uptake (235.3 kg ha-1), total phosphorus uptake (19.5 kg ha-1) and total potassium uptake (281.6 kg ha-1) at harvest. Higher level of nitrogen accounted for the maximum uptake of nutrients than lower level. Similarly maximum uptake (both total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium) was recorded in no cut treatment.