Assessing the Economics of Sunhemp in Rice Fallow Systems: Boosting Farm Income

Abstract— A field experiment was conducted to study the economics of sunhemp varieties under different sowing windows for seed production in rice fallow system in NC zone during Rabi 2023-24 at Agricultural College Farm, Naira. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial randomized block design with two factors and three replications. Factor one comprised of three varieties JRJ 610 (V1), SUIN 03 (V2), SUIN 037 (V3) and factor two comprised of four sowing windows i.e. first fortnight of November (S1), second fortnight of November (S2), first fortnight of December (S3) and second fortnight of December (S4). Higher gross returns (Rs. 207540 ha⁻¹), net returns (Rs. 123410 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (2.47) of rice-sunhemp system were realized with sunhemp variety SUIN 037 sown during second fortnight of November as relay crop after kharif rice. Whereas higher gross returns (Rs. 84,825 ha⁻¹), net returns (Rs. 54,925 ha⁻¹), returns per rupee invested (Rs. 1.84) and highest B:C (2.84) of sole sunhemp crop was obtained with sunhemp variety SUIN 037 sown during first fortnight of November. Choosing the right variety with pest and disease resistance and adaptability to local environmental conditions is essential for good crop establishment as relay crop in rice-based cropping system as alternative to the rice-pulse system in North Coastal Zone of Andhra Pradesh.