Performance Evaluation of Eco-Friendly Farming Systems in Wheat + Chickpea Intercropping System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jefa.2026.21.2.8Keywords:
Conventional farming, Kamdhenu Krushi Tantra, natural farming, organic farming, soil fertility, sustainability, wheat grain equivalent yieldAbstract
A field study was conducted at Junagadh, Gujarat, during the rabi seasons of 2019-20 to 2024-25 to evaluate the performance of different farming systems. Four farming systems, viz., natural farming (NF), Kamdhenu Krushi Tantra (KKT), organic farming (OF) and conventional farming (CF), were assessed in wheat-based production systems. Natural farming comprised wheat + chickpea (4:1) intercropping, KKT involved wheat with sweet corn on bunds, while OF and CF included sole wheat and chickpea cultivated on area-equivalent basis. The results revealed that CF recorded significantly higher wheat grain yield (3543 kg ha-1), straw yield (5170 kg ha-1), yield attributes and wheat grain equivalent yield (WGEY) (5679 kg ha-1). Organic farming recorded superior nutrient content in crop produce, the highest soil organic carbon (0.80%), available nitrogen (240 kg ha-1), phosphorus (32.8 kg ha-1), potassium (315 kg ha-1) and microbial population at harvest. Total nitrogen and phosphorus uptake were highest under CF, whereas KKT recorded the highest potassium uptake. Heavy metal concentrations in soil remained low and were not significantly affected by farming systems. Economic analysis indicated that OF generated the highest gross returns (₹128,287 ha-1) and net returns (₹85,244 ha-1), whereas NF recorded the highest benefit-cost ratio (3.15) due to lower cultivation costs. The study concluded that organic farming provided the most balanced combination of productivity, soil health improvement and profitability, while natural farming enhanced soil biological activity and economic efficiency. These findings suggest that organic and natural farming systems can serve as sustainable alternatives to conventional agriculture for long-term soil and environmental health.
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