Rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS), a lifeline for the majority of the population in South Asia is under stress, due to the imbalanced and indiscriminate use of fertilizers. Therefore, we conducted an on-farm study at eight locations (Amritsar, Katni, Nainital, Samba, Pakur, Kanpur, Ambedkarnagar, and Dindori) covering five agro climatic zones of six Indian states (Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand) to (i) calculate the partial factor productivity (PFP) and agronomic use efficiency (AUE) to judge the response of NPK and Zn on grain yield of rice and wheat in RWCS and (ii) to work out the economic feasibility of different combinations of NPK in rice and wheat. Seven fertilizer treatments: Control (0-0-0), N alone (N-0-0), NP (N-P-0), NK (N-0-K), NPK (N-P-K), NPK+Zn (N-P-K-Zn), and FFMP (Farmers Fertilizer Management Practice) were assigned to all the locations. The levels of applied nutrients were used as per the standard recommendation of the location. The average of all the locations showed that the use of NP enhances the grain yield of rice and wheat by 105% and 97% over control, respectively. System productivity of RWCS was expressed in terms of rice grain equivalent yield (RGEY), Mg ha⁻¹. Among the locations, Samba recorded the lowest productivity of RWCS with fertilizer treatments. In contrast, the highest productivity of RWCS with fertilizer treatments was recorded at Amritsar, except with NPK and NPK+Zn fertilization, where Katni superseded the Amritsar. An approximately 3-fold productivity gain in RWCS was recorded with the conjoint use of NP over control across the locations. Overall, the results of our study showed that the balance application of NPK increased the productivity of RWCS 245% over control. Partial factor productivity of Nitrogen (PFP_n) N alone in rice varied across locations and ranged from 19 kg grain kg⁻¹ N at Pakur to 41 kg grain kg⁻¹ N at Amritsar. PFP_n of N alone in wheat also ranged from 15.5 kg grain kg⁻¹ of N at Ambedkarnagar to 28 kg grain kg⁻¹ N at Amritsar. However, across locations the mean value of PFP_n of N alone was 29 kg grain kg⁻¹ N in rice and 21 kg grain kg⁻¹ N in wheat. PFP_n increased when combined application of N and P sorted in both rice and wheat across the locations. Similarly, combined application of NPK increased partial factor productivity of applied phosphorus (PFP_p) in both the crops at all the locations. The combined application of NPK increased the PFP_k for applied K at all the location. The response of K application with N and P when averaged over the location was 114% in rice and 93% in wheat over the combined use of N and K. In our study, irrespective of fertilizer treatments, the agronomic use efficiency of applied N (AUE_n) and agronomic use efficiency of applied P (AUE_p) were greater in rice than in wheat across the location. With regards to the economics, the mean net monetary returns among the fertilizers treatments was minimum (INR 29.5 × 10³ ha⁻¹) for the application of N alone and maximum (INR 8.65 × 10³ ha⁻¹) for application of NPK+Zn. The mean marginal returns across the locations was in order of N alone > NK > FFM > NPK > NP > NPK+Zn.

Achieving an economically feasible and environmentally robust model in agriculture while satisfying the expanding population’s food demands is a global challenge. Hence, a three-year (2014–2017) study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to design environmentally clean, energy-efficient, and profitable cropping systems. Twelve cropping systems viz., rice-wheat (CS₁), basmati rice-hayola (transplanted)-mung bean (CS₂), basmati rice-radish-maize (CS₃), maize-potato-maize (CS₄), maize + turmeric-barley + linseed (CS₅), maize + turmeric-wheat + linseed (CS₆), maize + radish-wheat + linseed-mung bean (CS₇), groundnut + pigeon pea (5:1)-wheat + sarson (9:1) (CS₈), maize + black gram-pea (bed) + celery (furrows) (CS₉),_: maize + pigeon pea-chickpea (bed) + gobhi sarson (furrows) (CS₁₀), maize (green cobs) + vegetable cowpea + dhaincha (Sesbania spp.)-chickpea + gobhi sarson (CS₁₁) and sorghum + cowpea (fodder)-wheat + gobhi sarson (9:1) (CS₁₂) were tested in a four-times-replicated randomized block design. CS₁₁ had the maximum system productivity (28.57 Mg ha⁻¹), production efficiency (78.27 Kg Day⁻¹ ha⁻¹), irrigation water use efficiency (2.38 kg m⁻³), system net returns (4413.3 US$ ha⁻¹), and benefit to cost (B:C) ratio (2.83) over others. In comparison to the CS₁ system, this cropping system required ~78% less irrigation water for a unit economic production. However, the cultivation of CS₁₂ registered the highest energy use efficiency (49.06%), net energy returns (6.46 × 10³ MJ ha⁻¹), and global warming potential (GWP) (Mg CO₂ e ha⁻¹) at spatial scale. Among all the intensified systems, CS₁₁ had the lowest GHGI (0.29 kg CO₂ e kg⁻¹). Furthermore, cultivation of CS₆ resulted in the maximum bacterial and actinomycetes population in the soil, while CS₅ yielded the highest fungal count (23.8 × 10³ cfu g⁻¹ dry soil) in soil. Our study suggests that the cultivation of CS₁₁ is a resource-efficient, economically viable, and environmentally clean production system and could be a potential alternative to rice-wheat systems for developing a green economy policy for agricultural development in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India.

The present investigation was carried out during 2016–2017 to delineate the best performing combinational doses of NPK on two cauliflower varieties (Pusa Snowball K-1 and Pusa Himjyoti). Four different combinations of NPK kg ha⁻¹, viz. T0 = 0: 0: 0, T1 = 80: 30: 60, T2 = 120: 60: 80 and T3 = 150: 70: 100 NPK with three replications using two-way factorial analysis. Results revealed that NPK application of 120: 60: 80 kg ha⁻¹ was found to be performing better for yield contributing characters of cauliflower var. Pusa Snowball K-1 with maximum plant weight (1.50 kg/plant), net curd weight (659 g/plant), curd diameter (13.33 cm), curd height (10.12 cm), stalk length (3.25 cm) and curd yield per plot (14.29 kg/plot), whereas, treatment T3, when applied on Pusa Snowball K-1 resulted in better growth in terms of plant height (37.16 cm), plant spread (47.23 cm) and number of leaves (14.93). The study also revealed that ascorbic acid as well as β-carotene contents in curds showed a decreasing trend with increasing level of NPK inputs irrespective of variety. Under Western plain zones of Uttar Pradesh better performance of Pusa Snowball K-1 with NPK application of 120: 60: 80 kg ha⁻¹ could be suitable combination for cauliflower cultivation.

A field experiment was conducted during 2009–12 at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya to study the performance of congosignal grass (Brachiaria rosensis L) under silvi-pastoral based agroforestry system in mid hill altitude of North East India. Congosignal grass was planted in open as well as intercrop with Simingtonia populanea and fertilized with 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N/ha. The study showed that growth attributes and yield of congosignal was reduced under tee canopy, while crude protein content was 5.35 % higher under tree canopy. Dry fodder production was significantly higher in open (119.55 q/ha) than under tree canopy (87.46 q/ha). The content and uptake of NPK by congosignal grass were higher in open area, while organic carbon and residual NPK status improved under tree canopy. Application of nitrogen at increased level improved plant height, no. of tillers and leaf:stem ratio. The green and dry biomass yield was significantly higher with 60 kg N/ha. The content and uptake as well as residual NPK were significantly improved with 60 kg N/ha. The soil organic carbon improved under tree canopy than open. Higher gross and net return were recorded with application of 90 and 60 kg N/ha in open and tree canopy, respectively. The B:C ratio (3.08) was higher with 90 kg N/ha in open planting, while under tree canopy highest B:C ratio of 2.19 was recorded with 60 kg N/ha.