INTERCROPPING OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE AND TORIA UNDER DIFFERENT NUTRIENT LEVELS AND PLANTING DENSITY
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AAU, Jorhat
Abstract
A field experiment “Intercropping of quality protein maize and toria under
different nutrient levels and planting density” was conducted at the Instructionalcum-
Research Farm of AAU, Jorhat during the rabi season of 2017-18 and 2018-
19.The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture with acidic in reaction
(pH 5.34), medium in organic carbon (0.61%), medium in available nitrogen (308.65kg
ha-1), high in available phosphorus (35.59 kg ha-1) and medium in available potassium
(198.54 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid out in factorial RBD with 3 replications. The
treatment consisted of three fertility levels (F1:60-40-40 kg ha-1 N-P2O5-K2O, F2:90-60-
60 kg ha-1 N-P2O5-K2O and F3:120-80-80 kg ha-1 N-P2O5-K2O), three paired row
spacing (S1:55cm x 25cm, S2:65cm x 25cm, S3:75cm x 25 cm) with two methods of
sowing (P0: Normal sowing, P1: Paired row sowing). Maize variety Vivek QPM-9 and
toria variety Jeuti (JT-90-1) were selected for maize + toria intercropping.
Experimental findings revealed that among different fertilizer levels, 120-80-80
kg ha-1 N, P2O5 and K2O (F3) differed significantly with respect to growth parameters of
quality protein maize like plant height, number of leaves per plant, dry matter
accumulation, crop growth rate, leaf area index during both the years of
experimentation. In case of yield attributes significantly higher yield attributes like
higher number of cobs per plant, cob length, cob girth, 1000-grain weight were recorded
for 2017-18 and 2018-19. Fertilizer dose of 120-80-80 kg ha-1 N, P2O5 and K2O (F3) had
resulted the highest grain yield of 51.42 q ha-1 and stover yield of 89.14 q ha-1 when
pooled over two years followed by the next higher dose of fertilizer viz., N, P2O5 and
K2O @ 90-60-60 kg ha-1 (F2) in both the years. Pooled analysis of maize equivalent
yield was found to be significantly affected by the highest dose of fertilizer i.e. N, P2O5
and K2O@ 120-80-80 kg ha-1 with an yield of 55.83 q ha-1. In case of N, P2O5 and K2O
content and uptake by grain and stover in quality protein maize, highest values were
recorded under N, P2O5 and K2O @ 120-80-80 kg ha-1 for both the seasons. Available
N, P2O5 and K2O after harvest of maize + toria intercropping was significantly higher in
plots treated with N, P2O5 and K2O@ 120-80-80 kg ha-1 for both the years followed by
N, P2O5 and K2O @ 90-60-60 kg ha-1. Soil moisture content at 90 days after sowing was
significantly influenced by 120-80-80 kg ha-1 of N, P2O5 and K2O application. Soil
depth of 15-30 recorded higher values of moisture content as compared to 0-15 cm
depth in two consecutive years. Light transmission ratio (LTR) was maximum in plots
with the highest dose of fertilizer viz., N, P2O5 and K2O @ 120-80-80 kg ha-1 in all the
stages i.e. vegetative, reproductive and at harvest during both the years. In intercrop
7
toria, growth parameters, yield attributes, pooled seed (4.67 q ha-1) and stover yield
(13.06 q ha-1) were found to be significant and the highest was recorded due to F3
treatment (N, P2O5 and K2O @ 120-80-80 kg ha-1) applied to the main crop maize for
both the years.
Among the paired row intercropping, row spacing of 75cm (60/90) x 25cm
resulted in significantly higher growth parameters of maize whereas row spacing 65cm
(40/90) x 25 cm recorded the highest yield attributing characters and highest pooled
grain of 50.31 q ha-1 and stover yield of 89.98 q ha-1 of quality protein maize. The
highest maize equivalent yield of 53.79 q ha-1 was obtained at a row spacing of 65cm
(40/90) x 25 cm when pooled for two years. Similarly, NPK uptake by grain and stover
and available N, P2O5 and K2O were significantly higher due to paired row spacing of
65 cm (40/90) x 25 cm for both the years. Highest values of LTR recorded at vegetative
stage of crop in row spacing of 65 cm (40/90) x 25 cm for two years consecutively. In
intercrop toria, growth parameters, yield attributes, seed yield (pooled-4.57 q ha-1) and
stover yield (pooled-13.05 q ha-1) were found to be significant and recorded highest due
to row spacing of 65 cm (40/90) x 25 cm for both the years.
For results in method of sowing, normal row sowing was found to be the highest
with pooled grain yield of 49.22 q ha-1 and stover yield of 89.98 q ha-1 with higher N, P
and K uptake. However, paired row sown crop recorded the highest maize equivalent
yield (pooled-52.84 q ha-1) as well as soil moisture contents were found to be superior in
normal row sown crop at 30 and 90 days of sowing.
In terms of economics, maximum gross return Rs.97707.22 ha-1, net return of
Rs.64194.22 ha-1 and B-C ratio of 2.91 were recorded in the treatment level of N, P2O5
and K2O @ 120-80-80 kg ha-1. Paired row spacing of 65cm (40/90) x 25 cm recorded
maximum gross return of Rs.94127.53 ha-1, net return of Rs.63246.53 ha-1 and B-C ratio
of 3.05 in maize + toria intercropping. In method of sowing under paired row
intercropping, the highest mean gross return of Rs.92478.46 ha-1, net return of
Rs.60922.46 ha-1 and highest B- C ratio of 2.93 was recorded.
The performance of maize + toria intercropping was assessed on the basis of
maize equivalent yield, monetary returns and B-C ratio as well as soil nutrient status. In
respect of all the above assessment, application of nutrient level N, P2O5 and K2O
@120-80-80 kg ha-1 was found to be the best dose of quality protein maize for obtaining
higher productivity along with toria as intercrop with optimum paired row spacing of
65cm (40/90) x 25cm.