Feasibility assessment of rice fallow crops in the machine harvested rice fields for sustaining rice fallow crop production

A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, to assess the performance of different rice fallow crops in machine-harvested rice fields. Three crops were selected for the trials: urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper), sesame (Sesamum indicum) and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum). The experiment was laid out in a strip plot design with three replications, with vertical plots assigned to different crops and horizontal plots to varying seed rates and sowing times. The results of the study were particularly noteworthy for the urdbean. When urdbean was sown on the same day as the rice harvest with a 20 % increased seed rate (36 kg ha-1 ), it significantly outperformed all other treatments. This combination recorded the highest net income among the crops tested, demonstrating its superior economic viability in rice fallow systems. The study highlighted the importance of adjusting seed rates to compensate for potential yield losses. Specifically, increasing the seed rate by 20 % proved to be an effective strategy to mitigate yield reductions caused by the trampling effect of the combined harvester. This approach improved yield and enhanced the profitability of blackgram cultivation in rice fallow systems. The research concluded that this strategy of increased seed rate and immediate sowing after rice harvest particularly benefited the urdbean. It offers a practical and viable approach to optimizing production in rice fallow systems, potentially leading to improved agricultural productivity and economic returns for farmers utilizing these cropping patterns.