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The Indian hot and zone, occupying an area of 31.71 Mha, spreads over Western Rajasthan, North Gujrat, South West Haryana and Punjab, some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka State, but the major part of it (61.8%) lies in the western part of Rajasthan, covering 12 districts commonly known as "Thar Desert" and characterized by harsh climatic conditions with active dunal activities. To add to the misery, there is continuous occurrence of severe drought in the region since the last 2-3 years (1997-98 and 1999-2000).

Data on. the energy input for cultivating different selective crops for 1999-2000 (drought year) were collected, analysed and presented for the village "Siwas" district, Pali (Zone-IV, rainfall >400 mm/yr). Owing to the drought, farmers of the village have grown kharif crops (being rainfed) by providing life saving irrigation. The maximum energy is required for raising the cotton crop, followed by wheat, mustard, maize and cluster bean. There is more non-renewable form of energy input (73.2%) than renewable form (26.8%) in all the crops. Further, more non-renewable energy is required for cultivating rabi crops compared to kharif. Among the kharif crops, the energy ratio varied from 3.4 to 7.0, suggesting that cotton, having an energy ratio 7.0, is most profitable compared to other crops. However, among the rabi crops, mustard is found most profitable.

The crop yield can be correlated with energy input in the form of a second degree polynomial. During a drought period, by providing life saving irrigation, the yields of kharif crops were in agreement with the average yield obtained during a normal rainfall year. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.