Comparative Economic Analysis of Zero Budget Natural Farming and Nutrient Management Practices of Kharif Maize in Bundelkhand Region of Chitrakoot, India
Veerendra Kumar Patel
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
U. S. Mishra
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
Pawan Sirothia
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
Vivek Kumar Singh *
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
Ashutosh Mishra
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
Bhoopendra Singh Bais
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
Ranjeet Singh Raghav
Department of Natural Resource Management and Faculty of Agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, Madhya Pradesh (485334), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study investigates comparative economic analysis of zero budget natural farming and nutrient management practices of kharif maize in Bundelkhand region of chitrakoot, India. The experiment was conducted during Kharif 2023 and 2024 using a Randomized Block Design with thirteen treatments, including various combinations of ZBNF practices, organic inputs, and recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) with biofertilizers. The economic performance of each treatment was evaluated based on cost of cultivation, gross and net monetary returns, and the benefit-cost (B:C) ratio. Among all treatments, T8 (100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB) proved most economically beneficial, achieving the highest net monetary return (Rs. 113,283 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (4.08), despite being third in gross returns. T9 (75% RDF + 25% FYM + Azotobacter + PSB) recorded the highest gross return (Rs. 159,651 ha⁻¹) but was second in net returns. Treatments like T6 (Vermicompost) and T7 (Poultry Manure) performed poorly in terms of economic viability. The findings suggest that while ZBNF reduces input costs significantly, integrated nutrient management with biofertilizers offers superior profitability and sustainability in maize cultivation.
Keywords: Zero budget natural farming, kharif maize, economic analysis, benefit-cost ratio, nutrient management, organic farming and Bundelkhand