Effect of nutrient management on energetics of rice bean-safflower cropping system

The rice bean–safflower cropping system demonstrates strong potential for improving energy efficiency and sustainability in rainfed and semi-arid agricultural regions. Field experiments conducted during 2017–18 and 2018–19 revealed that nutrient treatments, particularly sulphur at 30 kg/ha and phosphorus at 80 kg/ha, significantly influenced energy input, gross and net energy output, energy productivity, energy use efficiency, and energy intensity. Higher nutrient levels enhanced biomass yield and nutrient uptake, resulting in greater energy gains while reducing energy intensity in both physical and economic terms. Sulphur and phosphorus showed positive residual effects on the succeeding safflower crop, contributing to improved performance. Control treatments consistently recorded lower energy metrics. These findings confirm that balanced nutrient management plays a vital role in optimizing crop energetics and improving system resilience. Future research should prioritize region-specific nutrient strategies, multi-year evaluations, precision farming, and life cycle assessments to promote low-input, energy-efficient cropping systems suitable for climate-challenged environments.