Evaluation of Fodder based Intercropping Systems
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Date
2011
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Publisher
MPUAT, Udaipur
Abstract
Evaluation of Fodder based Intercropping Systems
Description
A field experiment entitled “Evaluation of Fodder based Intercropping
Systems” was conducted at the Instructional Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture,
Udaipur during kharif 2010. The objectives were to find out the intercropping and
planting system for maximization of green fodder yield and to estimate quality and
economic viability of the cropping systems. The experiment consisted of 16 treatment
combinations i.e. T1: Sorghum (sole cropping), T2: Maize (sole cropping), T3:
Cowpea (sole cropping), T4: Clusterbean (sole cropping), T5: Sorghum + Cowpea
(Intercropping 1:1 row proportion), T6: Sorghum + Clusterbean (Intercropping 1:1
row proportion), T7: Maize + Cowpea (Intercropping 1:1 row proportion), T8: Maize +
Clusterbean (Intercropping 1:1 row proportion, T9: Sorghum + Cowpea (Intercropping
2:1 row proportion), T10: Sorghum + Clusterbean (Intercropping 2:1 row proportion),
T11: Maize + Cowpea (Intercropping 2:1 row proportion), T12: Maize + Clusterbean
(Intercropping 2:1 row proportion), T13: Sorghum + Cowpea (Intercropping 3:1 row
proportion), T14: Sorghum + Clusterbean (Intercropping 3:1 row proportion), T15:
Maize + Cowpea (Intercropping 3:1 row proportion), T16: Maize + Clusterbean
(Intercropping 3:1 row proportion).
The results of experiment revealed that among all sorghum and maize based
intercropping systems, sorghum + cowpea in 2:1 row proportion produced
significantly higher green fodder yield, dry matter production at harvest, N and P
uptake, quality component (crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre and mineral
matter) and economics (net returns and B/C ratio) while sorghum + clusterbean in 2:1
row proportion (T10) gave significantly higher LAI and LER over sole treatments.
The maize intercropped with cowpea in 2:1 row proportion (T11) was also found
significantly superior in respect of total digestible nutrients (TDN) over sole
treatments. In sorghum based intercropping systems, its intercropping with cowpea in 1:1
row proportion (T5) gave significantly higher plant height of sorghum (291cm) and
2:1 row proportion of sorghum with clusterbean gave significantly higher LAI of
sorghum (7.10) and LER (1.57) over rest of the treatments.
Sorghum with cowpea in 2:1 row proportion (T9) produced significantly
higher total dry matter production at harvest (1295 g m-2), green fodder yield (380 q
ha-1), total nitrogen uptake (119.66 kg ha-1), total phosphorus uptake (35.02 kg ha-1),
total crude protein production (747.89 kg ha-1), total crude fibre production (3029.18
kg ha-1), total ether extract production (186.41 kg ha-1), total mineral matter
production (1096.17 kg ha-1).
The maximum net returns ( 29285 ha-1) and B/C ratio (2.45) were obtained
when sorghum was intercropped with cowpea in 2:1 row proportion. It was followed
by sorghum + clusterbean intercropping in 2:1 row proportion with net returns of (
28505) and B/C ratio of (2.41).
In the maize based intercropping systems, 1:1 row proportion of sorghum
intercropping with clusterbean (T8) gave significantly higher plant height of maize
(218cm) and 2:1 row proportion of maize intercropping with cowpea (T11) produced
significantly higher LAI of maize (4.37), total dry matter production at harvest (1248
g m-2), green fodder yield (368 q ha-1), total nitrogen uptake (108.18 kg ha-1), total
phosphorus uptake (28.76 kg ha-1), total crude protein production (676.13 kg ha-1),
total crude fibre production (2825.24 kg ha-), total ether extract production (184.48 kg
ha-), total mineral matter production (1029.26 kg ha-1), total digestible nutrients
production (7823.05 kg ha-1) and LER (1.55) over rest of the treatments.
The maximum net returns ( 27261 ha-) and B/C ratio (2.12) were obtained
when maize was intercropped with cowpea in 2:1 row proportion. It was followed by
maize + clusterbean intercropping in 2:1 row proportion with net returns of ( 25490)
and B/C ratio of (2.01).
Keywords
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Citation
Pathak and Tiwari, 2011