Productivity of ashgourd as influenced by crop combinations
| dc.contributor.advisor | Salikutty Joseph | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bavrah Balan | |
| dc.contributor.author | KAU | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-05-02T10:49:49Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-05-02T10:49:49Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1998 | |
| dc.description | PG | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | An investigation on the produtivity of ashgourd as influenced by crop combinations was conducted at the Vegetable Research Plots of the Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara in 1997. The study evaluated the biological efficiency and economic feasibility of various intercropping systems. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications. The base crop ashgourd was raised in pit and trench system along with intercrops cucumber, pole cowpea, bush cowpea and amaranthus in two and three crop combinations. In addition to these treatments sole crops were raised as control plots. Observations were made on growth characters and yield and yield attributing characters. The calculations on biological efficiency and economic suitability were worked out using different indices. The results revealed that planting patte.rn did not significantly influence most of the growth and yield contributing characters in ashgourd, cucumber and pole cowpea. The yield was maximum in the trench system of planting due to more number of plants that could be accomodated in this system. The performance of bush cowpea and amaranthus were similar when grown as pure crop or intercrop in this particular system. In the case of other crops, pure cropping recorded a higher growth than when intercropped. Fruit characters like length, circumference and flesh thickness of ashgourd also were not significantly influenced by planting pattern but the pit system gave a higher value than trench system. Effective weed suppression was obtained due to intercropping than in the pure crops but there was no difference in the pest and disease attack in pure and intercropped conditions. LER, LEe, ATER and aggressivity values revealed the biosuitability of ashgourd based cropping system. As pure crops, ashgourd, cucumber, pole cowpea, bush cowpea and amaranthus recorded maximum growth and yield contributing characters and yield as compared to the intercropping treatments. However, economic analysis revealed that intercropping is advantageous than their respective sole crops. Economic indices like gross return, net return and per day return was higher for the combination of ashgourd + cucumber + amaranthus. This was closely followed by ashgourd + cucumber + bush cowpea combination which recorded only a difference of Rs.1318.75 and Rs.620 1.39 during first and second seasons respectively. Performance of pure and intercropped pole cowpea was poor in these two seasons hence its performance in these cropping system need to be further evaluated. Growing ashgourd and cucumber in trenches of size 2 m x 60 cm x 60 cm with amaranthus as intercrop in an area of 4 m2 was found to be the best treatment. Thus the study conclusively revealed the scope of recommending ashgourd-cucumber-amaranthus intercropping system as an economically viable, biologically suitable and sustainable cropping system to increase vegetable production in Kerala. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | 171425 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810101692 | |
| dc.keywords | Olericulture, ashgourd, ashgourd-productivity | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Department Of Olericulture, College Of Horticulture, Vellanikkara | en_US |
| dc.sub | Horticulture | en_US |
| dc.subject | null | en_US |
| dc.theme | Productivity of ashgourd | en_US |
| dc.these.type | M.Sc | en_US |
| dc.title | Productivity of ashgourd as influenced by crop combinations | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |