DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATE CROPPING PATTERN AGAINST TOMATO-FALLOW- T. AMAN RICE IN MEDIUM HIGH LAND OF DINAJPUR

Abstract
The experiment was carried out at the research field of Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Dinajpur during Mid December to end of November for two consecutive years (2017-18 and 2018-19) to develop an economically sustainable and profitable cropping pattern over existing pattern. Three alternate cropping patterns Tomato-T. Aus-T. Aman, Tomato-Summer onion-T. Aman, Tomato-Indian Spinach-T. Aman were introduced against the existing cropping pattern Tomato–Fallow–T. Aman rice. The experiment was carried out in RCB design with three replications. The highest REY (35.91 t/ha) was recorded from the cropping pattern Tomato-Indian Spinach-T. Aman followed by Tomato-Summer onion-T. Aman (31.26 t/ha) and Tomato-T. Aus-T. Aman (29.04 t/ha). The lowest REY (24.48 t/ha) was obtained from the cropping pattern Tomato-Fallow-T. Aman (Farmers practice). The gross return and gross margin were higher in the alternate cropping patterns compared to existing cropping pattern due to additional yield of T. Aus rice, Summer Onion and Indian Spinach. Therefore, farmers in Dinajpur region of Bangladesh could follow alternate cropping pattern in their medium high land where lands remain fallow after harvesting of Tomato for higher crop productivity and profitability.