Conservation agriculture (CA) practices are getting space world-wide to answer many emerging challenges like; declining factor productivity, deteriorating soil health, water scarcity, climate change, and farm profitability and sustainability. Oilseed brassica (Indian mustard, Brassica juncea L.), a winter oilseed grown under rainfed agro-ecosystem is vulnerable to low yields, high production cost, degrading soil and water quality, and climatic vagaries. The present study was undertaken on CA-based sustainable intensification of Indian mustard for enhancing inputs efficiencies, farm profitability and sustainability. Permanent beds with residue retention (PB + R) improved mustard equivalent yield (11.4%) and system grain yield (10.6%) compared with conventional tillage without residue (CT − R). Maize–mustard rotation (Mz–M) increased system grain yield (142.9%) as well as mustard equivalent yield (60.7%) compared with fallow-mustard (F-M). Mz–M system under PB + R increased sustainable yield index (376.5%), production efficiency (177.2%), economic efficiency (94%) and irrigation water productivity (66%) compared with F-M under CT − R. PB + R increased soil organic carbon (SOC) stock at 0–15 cm (17.7%) and 15–30 cm (29.5%) soil depth compared with CT − R. Addition of green gram in rotation with mustard improved SOC at 0–15 cm (27.4%) and 15–30 cm (20.5%) compared with F-M system. CA-based cluster bean-mustard/GG-M system increased N productivity, whereas, P and K productivity improved with Mz–M system compared with F-M under CT − R. Thus, CA-based Mz–M system should be out-scaled in the traditional rainfed fallow-mustard system to improve the farm production and income on holistic basis to make the country self-sufficient in edible oils.

The choice of a packaging material for any agricultural produce differs with the type of markets in which the products are distributed. In developing countries, this choice is largely determined by the cost and availability of packaging materials. Seed storage is an integral part of seed production programme. Seeds of many field crops are produced with greater care and cost. Hence, a good storage is essential to keep them alive and vigorous until required for subsequent sowing season. Seed is said to be in storage in various stages from harvest to sowing. Further the left over seeds are to be stored without appreciable decline in quality in order to meet the further demand. Generally, seeds stored in moisture impervious sealed containers stored better compared to moisture pervious containers under ambient storage as well as cold storage conditions. The prevailing relative humidity and temperature of the atmosphere influence greatly the longevity of seeds, since moisture content of seeds fluctuates more in moisture pervious containers than in moisture vapour proof containers. The packaging materials used are decided by kind and quantity of seed to be packed, the type of package, duration of storage, storage temperature and relative humidity of the storage area, etc. The studies of vacuum packaging are therefore expected to address some of these problems and thus maintain quality of agricultural produce for a relatively longer period over traditional packaging and extending the shelf life, seed storability and seed quality of the same.