A field experiment was conducted during the year 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 in Bhubaneswar, India to study the effect of tillage, irrigation and nutrient levels on growth and yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) in rice fallow. The results revealed that the conventional tillage system of sweet potato planting recorded maximum fresh root yield. During the year 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, the fresh root yield in this system was 4.6% and 30.3% higher than the minimum tillage treatment, respectively. Similarly 5.6% and 21.7% higher green fodder yields were obtained in conventional tillage compared to minimum tillage treatment during the year 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, respectively. But lower consumptive use and water use efficiency (WUE) were observed in conventional tillage than minimum tillage. Increasing irrigation and nutrient levels increased root and fodder yield significantly in both the years as well as reduced the soil compactness. The consumptive use and WUE were decreased with increasing irrigation levels, and increased with increasing levels of nutrients. Minimum tillage has advanced planting of sweet potato 15 to 17 days and produced 80–90% root and fodder yield of conventional tillage. 1. Introduction Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food crop in many of the developing countries in the world. It is grown in all the ecosystems. Transplanted rice is most common in both rainfed and irrigated ecosystem. In rainfed lowlands, rice is mostly transplanted; occasionally direct seeded either in dry soil or drilled in puddled soil. This type of rice system represents 25% of the total rice area and 17% of world production, ranking second after irrigated rice [1]. In these lands, soils remain under saturated/swampy conditions after harvest of rice due to ponding of water during the cropping season. It takes 15–30 days to dry for tillable conditions. Hence, farmer grows long duration rice varieties or keeps the fields vacant. Pulses and oil seeds are sown after harvest of rice by preparing fine seed beds in rice-based cropping system. However, in certain Asian countries like India and Bangladesh winter delays sowing of pulses and oil seeds. The ever increasing human and animal populations are exerting a lot of pressure on food and fodder production. As the land available for agriculture is shrinking, multiple cropping and enhancing productivity are the options left with the farmers to meet out the demand of food and fodder requirements. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), a tuberous root crop, is grown throughout the tropical and subtropical countries. In
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