Relative Economic Profitability of Millet based Crop Rotations with Chickpea in Hisar District of Haryana

Background: Millets and pulses are the most important dryland crops grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons in the semi-arid regions of the country for food, feed and animal fodder. These crops also show considerable resilience to changing climate (drought, heat and nutrient stresses). For diversification of Pearl millet-Chickpea rotation, adoption of small millets (finger millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, little millet, brown top millet, barnyard millet and kodo millet) in addition to pearl millet may be viable option. Methods: A field experiment was carried out at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India during 2022-23 in randomized block design in Kharif and Rabi season, replicated thrice with eight treatments (foxtail millet, little millet, brown top millet, proso millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, finger millet and pearl millet) in Kharif season and eight crop rotations (foxtail millet-chickpea, little millet- chickpea, brown top millet- chickpea, proso millet- chickpea, kodo millet-chickpea, barnyard millet- chickpea, finger millet- chickpea and pearl millet- chickpea) in Rabi season to evaluate economic profitability of eight millet based crop rotations with chickpea. Result: During Kharif season among all millets (foxtail millet, little millet, brown top millet, proso millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, finger millet and pearl millet) tested, Pearl millet was found most suitable, which produced significantly higher grain yield (2462 kg/ha), biological yield (10066 kg/ha), net energy returns (121552 MJ/ha), energy intensiveness (14.0 MJ/USD), human energy profitability (133.3 MJ/ha) compared to all other millets. In Rabi season chickpea sown after Foxtail millet recorded significantly higher seed yield (2080 kg/ha), biological yield (8923 kg/ha), net returns (Rs. 66713/ha), B:C (2.44), net energy returns (120497 MJ/ha), energy ratio (19.27), energy productivity (0.31 kg/MJ), energy profitability (18.27 MJ/ha) and human energy profitability (134.2 MJ/ha).