Arsenic contamination in cropping systems under varying irrigation sources in the deltaic plain of India

A field experiment was conducted in an arsenic endemic area of West Bengal, India (22°57?N, 89°33?E) in 2010–2012 to understand different prevalent cropping systems of the area as to nature of arsenic uptake by the crops and influence of different sources of irrigation water. The experiment was laid out in split plot design consisting two irrigation managements [I₁: irrigation with shallow tube well (STW) and I₂: irrigation from harvested pond water (PW)] in main plot and four cropping systems in sub plot were C₁: pea- summer rice- cowpea, C₂: potato- green gram- elephant foot yam (EFY), C₃: wheat- jute- winter rice and C₄: French bean- sesame- winter rice. Irrigation from PW recorded less arsenic uptake compared to STW. Arsenic uptake was minimum with French bean- sesame- winter rice (C₄), followed by potato – green gram – EFY (C₂). System equivalent yield was the highest with C₂. The highest return was recorded with C₂ and the return per dollar (USD) investment was the maximum with C₁, followed by C₂. Potato- green gram- EFY (C₂) proved to be the better option for the farmers in arsenic contaminated area with greater yield potential, highest return per dollar investment and less arsenic uptake.