Economic Evaluation of Mungbean (Vigna rediata L. Wilczek) under Citrus (Citrus sps. L.) Based Agri-horti System in Semi-arid Region of Prayagraj, India

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) on root nodulation and economic performance of mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) under a citrus-based agri-horti system. The experiment was carried out during the Kharif season of 2023–24 at the College of Forestry, SHUATS, Prayagraj, employing thirteen nutrient management treatments combining various proportions of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) with organic amendments such as farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, press mud, and poultry manure. The treatments were assessed under two cropping conditions: 10 years old citrus based agroforestry (AF) and open field. Results indicated that INM practices significantly influenced yield with Treatment T9 consistently outperforming others by recording the highest economic returns, including a maximum benefit-cost (B:C) ratio emphasizing the effectiveness of integrated nutrient strategies over single-source applications. Conversely, treatments with moderate yields but lower net returns highlighted the critical role of input efficiency in determining profitability. The findings underscore that INM not only enhances biological nitrogen fixation and crop productivity but also improves economic sustainability, making it a viable nutrient management approach for legume-based intercropping systems, particularly in citrus-based agri-horti models.