Eco-physiological evaluation of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] - greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] intercropping system under rainfed condition
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Date
2014
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CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE ANDCLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTURE INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2013 at Experimental Farm
of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. The experiment was laid out
in factorial RBD with three replications. Treatment consist of three main plot as
cropping systems - Sole pigeonpea, Pigeonpea + Green gram (1:1) and
Pigeonpea + Green gram (1:2) with three sub-plot as control, hydrogel and
mulching having nine treatment combinations to ascertain effect of cropping
system and moisture conservation practices on crop growth, yield and yield
attributes, microbial growth, crop physiological parameters, nutrient content, soil
moisture studies and economics of pigeon pea and green gram under rainfed
conditions. The cropping systems failed to cause any significant variation in
growth attributes of pigeonpea and green gram. Similar result found in case of
yield and yield attributes in both crops except no. of pod/plant found to be significant
in pigeonpea. Data pertaining to growth attributes of pigeonpea and green gram such
as plant height (cm), LAI were positively influenced by moisture conservation
practices except that no. of branches/plant. Among the moisture conservation
practices, mulching increased plant height and LAI by 8.2% and 11.4% over control
whereas the hydrogel remains on par with control. In case of green gram, cropping
systems showed non-significant effect on plant height and LAI whereas moisture
conservation practices i.e. mulching had significantly increased plant height and
LAI by 24.2% and 10.8% over control. The cropping system had no effect on
uptake of N, P, K and S but positively influenced by moisture conservation
practices in pigeonpea crop. Among the different moisture conservation practices
mulching significantly increased N, P, K and S uptake in seed (43.4%, 44.3%, 44.2%
and 43.9% respectively) and stalk (31.8%, 34.2%, 32.5% and 33.8% respectively)
over control which was followed by hydrogel. Among moisture conservation
practices mulching gave significantly higher net photosynthetic rate as well as
instantaneous water use efficiency over control under both pigeonpea and green gram.
Bacterial and fungal population increased in mulch treatment by 28.8% and 32.4%
respectively over control. Among the moisture conservation practices, mulching
recorded significantly higher soil moisture percentage as compared to hydrogel and
control. Among the moisture conservation practices mulching gave higher pigeonpea
100
yield i.e. seed yield (5.48 q ha-1
), stalk yield (20.26 q ha-1
) and biological yield
(25.74 q ha-1
) which was followed by hydrogel whereas green gram yield under
mulching results in higher seed yield (4.12 q ha-1
) Stover yield (12.09 q ha-1
) as
compared to control seed yield (3.53 q ha-1
) stalk yield (10.84 q ha-1
) and hydrogel
seed yield (3.70 q ha-1
) stalk yield (10.57 q ha-1
). Mulching treatments provided a
seed yield advantage of 41.9% and 14.3% in pigeonpea and green gram
respectively compared to control. Pigeonpea + green gram intercropping system
fetched higher net returns (Rs. 24289) as well as B: C ratio (2.32) over sole pigeonpea
due to more combined yield. Similarly moisture conservation practices brought about
considerable variation in net return and B: C ratio in the experiment. Maximum net
returns (Rs. 21492) and B: C ratio (2.06) was recorded with mulch over control B: C
ratio (1.87) and net returns (Rs. 13355)
Description
T-9083
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