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Low native soil nitrogen (N) and very low phosphorus (P) coupled with apathy of farmers towards use of fertilizer are the major constraints limiting rice productivity in the North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region of India. Field experiment was undertaken in narrow valley wetland during Kharif and pre-Kharif (rainy) seasons of 2003, 2004, Meghalaya to evaluate the nutrient recycling and production potential of rice (Oryza sativa L.)-vegetables cropping sequences under low input in situ residue management under rainfed conditions. After rice, five vegetable crops, viz. tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris), cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata), and carrot (Daucas carota L.) were grown during prekharif season on temporary raised and sunken beds. Minimum tillage was given to both rice and vegetables. No external input including fertilizer, organic manure, pesticides, etc. were applied to either crops. Only the economic parts of the crops were harvested and the rest of the biomass of the entire crop and weed residues were chopped and incorporated into the soil. Among the five cropping sequences, rice-tomato gave the highest rice equivalent yield (214.40 q/ha), followed by rice-carrot (206.4 q/ha). Highest net return (rupees [Rs.] 66,635 ha -1 ) was recorded in rice-carrot, closely followed by rice-tomato (Rs. 66,139 ha -1 ). Ricecabbage and rice-frenchbean were found to be on a par with each other in terms of yield and income. The highest amount of NPK recycling was recorded for the rice-potato sequence. Weed biomass production in the different sequences ranged from 37.5 q/ha for ricetomato to as high as 50.6 q/ha in the case of ricefallow. Soil fertility in terms of available NPK status was found to be stable in all the crop sequences except rice-cabbage, where fertility status declined slightly. The soil biological properties such as population of Rhizobium, bacteria, phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms, and earthworm activity were all found to be remarkably higher in the experimental field compared to other adjacent plots that are managed inorganically. It was concluded that vegetables such as tomato, carrot, potato, etc. could be profitably grown after rice without the addition of fertilizer and manure, if residues are managed effectively under temporary raised beds without deteriorating soil fertility.

Field experiments were conducted in three consecutive summer seasons of 2005 to 2007 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on soil health and productivity of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with eight nutrient management practices (combinations of organic manures viz, farm yard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), vermicompost (VC) and inorganic fertilizers in main plots and seed tuber treatment with three biofertilizers (Azotobactor, phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and Azotobactor + PSB) in sub plots. The results showed that 50 % of the recommended dose of NPK through inorganic + 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through organic manures (FYM, PM or VC) or 100% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizers alone favorably influenced the tuber yield, nutrient uptake, soil fertility and paid higher returns compared to other treatments. Seed treatment with Azotobactor + PSB proved better in tuber yield, nutrient uptake and recorded higher returns as compared to sole treatment of either Azotobactor or PSB. Three years pooled result revealed that integrated application of 50 % of recommended NPK through inorganic and 50 % RDN through PM recorded significantly highest tuber yield (22.73 t/ha) closely followed by 100 % recommended NPK through inorganic (22.20 t/ha) which were 228 % and 223 % respectively, higher than control. Integrated application of inorganic and organic fertilizers and seed treatment with Azotobactor + PSB biofertilizers improved tuber yield, nutrient uptake, and gave higher return as compared to other treatment combinations. Total organic carbon (TOC), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), available N, P, and K status of the soil after 3 years were maximum when 50 % recommended dose of NPK were applied through inorganic and remaining 50 % RDN through PM.

The hill ecosystem of Northeastern Himalayas is suitable for organic farming due to negligible use of fertilizer (<12 kg ha −1 ) and agrochemicals, abundance of organic manure, especially plant biomass, and favourable climatic conditions for diverse crops. For successful organic farming, efficient cropping systems and organic amendments are to be identified to sustain soil health on one hand and productivity and enhanced income on the other. The efficacy of three organic amendments, namely, farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost (VC) and integrated nutrient source (INS; 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (N) through FYM + 50% N through VC) on performance of three-vegetable-based cropping systems, namely, maize + soybean (2:2 intercropping)-tomato, maize + soybean-potato and maize + soybeanFrench bean was evaluated for five consecutive years (2005-06 to 2009-10) under subtropical climate at Umiam, Meghalaya, India (950 m above sea level). All the organic amendments were applied on N equivalent basis and phosphorus (P) requirement was compensated through rock phosphate. The results revealed that the yield of vegetables, except root vegetables, was maximum with FYM as soil amendment. Total system productivity in terms of maize equivalent yield (MEY) was significantly higher under FYM followed by INS. Pooled analysis revealed that MEY was enhanced by 200 and 191% with continuous application of FYM and INS, respectively, over control (no manure). Maize + soybean-tomato system recorded the highest MEY (28.78 Mg ha −1 ; Mg -megagram) followed by maize + soybean-French bean (24.37 Mg ha −1 ). INS as organic amendment resulted in maximum improvement in soil organic carbon (SOC), available P and potassium (K), soil microbial biomass carbon and water holding capacity and was similar to those under FYM. The SOC concentration under INS (23.6 g kg −1 ), FYM (23.3 g kg −1 ) and VC (22.3 g kg −1 ) after five years of organic farming were 31.0, 29.4 and 23.8% higher than the initial and 26.2, 24.6 and 19.3% higher than those under control, respectively. The quality traits of tomato such as total soluble solids (5%), ascorbic acid (28.6 mg 100 g −1 ) and lycopene content (19.35 mg 100 g −1 ) were higher under FYM application than other amendments. The study indicated that FYM and INS are equally good as organic amendment and their continuous application not only improves soil health but also crop productivity. FYM application was also found to be cost effective as it resulted in a higher benefit: cost ratio (4.4:1) compared to other amendments irrespective of cropping sequences during transition to organic farming.

SUMMARYRice is the major staple food crop in the North Eastern Region of India (26.2 million hectare geographical area) and the region has a deficit of 1.40 million tones of rice, mainly due to low productivity (1.72 t ha −1 ). Field experiments were conducted for the first time to evaluate the new techniques of rice cultivation, viz. the system of rice intensification (SRI) and integrated crop management (ICM) along with conventional rice culture (CRC) for improving productivity, water and energy use efficiency during the rainy seasons of 2004-07 at the ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umiam, Meghalaya (950 m msl), India. Three stand establishment methods, viz. SRI, ICM and CRC in main plots, and five nutrient management practices, viz. recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF = 80:26:33 kg NPK ha −1 ), farmyard manure (FYM) 10 t ha −1 , RDF + FYM 5 t ha −1 , 50% RDF + FYM 10 t ha −1 , and a control (no fertilizer and manure) in sub-plots, were tested in a split-plot design; only few meaningful interactions were found. Results showed a higher number of panicles per square metre under CRC and ICM compared with SRI. However, the number of panicles per hill, grains per panicle and the test weight remained higher in the SRI method. In terms of mean grain yield, ICM (4.86 t ha −1 ) and SRI (4.72 t ha) produced 12.8 and 9.6%, respectively, higher grain yield over CRC (4.3 t ha −1 ). Among the nutrient management practices, the application of RDF + FYM 5 t ha −1 (5.0 t ha −1 ) and 50% RDF + FYM 10 t ha −1 (4.87 t ha −1 ) not only produced higher grain yield of rice (23.8 and 20.5%, respectively, higher yield over control) but also maintained higher soil available N, P and organic carbon at harvest compared with other nutrient management practices. Photosynthesis rate and water use efficiency were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher under SRI, whereas the transpiration rate was higher under CRC. The ICM method recorded maximum net return and energy output to input ratio, which was followed by SRI and CRC. Therefore, the ICM method of rice cultivation would be the preferred option for the sub-tropical mid-hills of eastern Indian Himalayas.