STUDIES ON NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN PIGEONPEA [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] AND BARNYARD MILLET [Echinochloa esculenta] INTERCROPPING SYSTEM
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Date
2023-12-20
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Abstract
An agronomic investigation entitled “Studies on nutrient management in pigeonpea
(Cajanus cajan L.) and barnyard millet (Echinochloa esculenta) intercropping system” was
carried out at Agriculture College Farm, Raichur during the kharif 2019. The experiment was
laid out in randomized block design with three replications and ten treatments. Results
revealed that, the sole crops of pigeonpea and barnyard millet produced significantly grain higher yield (1367 and 1695 kg ha-1, respectively) when compared to their intercropping
treatments. The higher grain yield of pigeonpea or barnyard millet was attributed to superior
growth and yield components. Among the different intercropping treatments, T4 (125 per cent
RDF to pigeonpea and no fertilizer to barnyard millet) recorded significantly higher seed yield of pigeonpea (1116 kg ha-1) and it was on par with treatments, T3 (1040 kg ha-1), T5 (1047 kg ha-1) and T6 (1071 kg ha-1), and T6 (100 per cent RDF to pigeonpea and 100 per cent
RDF to barnyard millet) recorded significantly higher grain yield of barnyard millet (1571 kg ha-1). Thus, intercropping of pigeonpea with barnyard millet decreased seed yield of
pigeonpea and barnyard millet compared to their respective sole crops.
Pigeonpea equivalent yield was significantly higher in intercropping treatment
fertilized with 100 per cent RDF to both the crops as compared to sole crops. The total uptake
of nutrients in intercropping system was relatively higher as compared to sole cropping of
both the crops. Higher land equivalent ratio (LER) (1.71) was recorded in the intercropping
treatment (T6). The LER recorded under intercropping system varied from 1.29 to 1.71.
The higher net returns was recorded under T6 (Rs. 93,748 ha-1) and the treatment, T5 recorded on par net returns (Rs. 89,368 ha-1) with T4 (Rs. 89,714 ha-1). T6 (100 per cent RDF
to pigeonpea and 100 per cent RDF to barnyard millet) recorded significantly higher benefit
cost ratio (4.55) and was on par with T4 (4.46) and T5 (4.46).