EFFECT OF NITROGEN LEVEL ON PRODUCTIVITY OF MULBERRY (Morus spp.) BASED INTERCROPPING SYSTEM
Loading...
Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AAU, Jorhat
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at the Instructional cum Research (ICR) Farm of Assam Agricultural University; Jorhat during 2016-2017 to study the effect of nitrogen level on productivity of mulberry based intercropping system. The treatment comprises of three levels of nitrogen (75kg, 100kg and 125kg N/ha) and five cropping system (sole mulberry, sole setaria, sole cowpea, mulberry + setaria and mulberry + cowpea intercropping system). The experiment was conducted in split plot design taking cropping system as main plot treatment and nitrogen level allotted to sub plot treatment replicated thrice. Experimental results showed that mulberry intercropped with cowpea (C5) recorded significantly higher plant height, maximum number of leaves, leaf area, leaf area index, leaf yield, dry matter percentage, dry matter yield and crude protein yield as compared to rest of the treatments. However, the sole mulberry recorded significantly higher growth and yield parameters as compared to mulberry planted in intercropping system with Setaria (C4). Crude protein, Crude fibre, Crude fat content (%) in mulberry intercropped with cowpea and Setaria varied significantly with respect to nitrogen levels. Results showed that Mulberry +cowpea (C5) intercropping system recorded significantly better leaf quality parameters compared to rest of the treatments. The growth and yield attributes of component crop (Setaria and Cowpea) were studied and the component crop planted/ sown as intercropped with mulberry recorded significantly higher plant height, tiller/tussack of Setaria, leaf stem-ratio of cowpea, dry matter percentage. The green forage yield of sole Setaria and sole Cowpea were found to be significantly higher than their green forage yield as a component crop in intercropping system with mulberry. In terms of quality parameters of both Setaria and cowpea in respect of crude protein, crude fibre and crude fat content recorded significantly higher in the Setaria when intercropped with mulberry. Same trend has also been observed in cowpea when intercropped with mulberry. As far as the interaction effect of cropping system with nitrogen levels are concerned only the green forage yield of cowpea was found to be significant. On dry matter yield of cowpea in the first and second crop were found to be significant. Considering the cropping system as whole mulberry + cowpea intercropping system was found to be better among all the cropping system which resulted in the highest land equivalent ratio (1.67), higher gross return (Rs. 145638.00) , net return (Rs 74536.63) and B: C ratio (3.65).