Economics and energetics in hybrid sunflower cultivation as influenced by irrigation and fertilizer management practices

The objective of the study was to assess economic feasibility and environmental sustainability in sunflower cultivation as influenced by irrigation and fertilization. A field experiment was conducted during the winter (November-March) of 2011-12 and 2012-2013 in farmer’s field at Madandanga under Chakdaha block of Nadia district in West Bengal (23°22.221'N latitude and 88°22.221'E longitude with an altitude of 12 m above mean sea level), under sub-humid subtropical climatic condition. The crop irrigated thrice (I30/60/80) outperformed other crops which had reduced moisture (I30 and I30/60) in respect of gross revenue (GR). Irrespective of irrigation levels, application of N80P40K40B1.5S25 treatment paid the highest additional GR over RDF. The higher incremental cost-benefit ratio (ICBR) for ‘Aditya’ was observed with N80P40K40B1.5 at all irrigation levels. Estimated energy indices revealed that net energy gain (NEG) was the highest with the supply of N80P40K40B1.5S25 at all irrigation levels. However, maximum values of energy ratio (ER) and energy productivity (EP) were recorded with N80P40K40B1.5 while total specific energy (SE) was higher with N80P40K40S25 for all irrigation levels. Recommended dose of fertilizer (N80P40K40) was observed to be the most energy-intensive treatment with higher energy intensiveness (EI) values. The treatment N80P40K40VC5 was found to be the most energy-efficient treatment with lowest energy intensiveness (EI) values at all irrigation levels, closely followed by the N80P40K40B1.5S25 treatment