The researchers conducted a field experiment to see how balanced nutrition affects the productivity and economics of growing maize and chickpeas together. They tested different combinations of nutrients on the crops and found that applying specific amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc sulfate to maize resulted in higher yields and profits. Similarly, applying nitrogen, phosphorus, and zinc sulfate to chickpeas also increased their yields and profits. Overall, using the right balance of nutrients on both crops led to higher combined yields and profits for the entire cropping sequence.