BIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF PIGEONPEA (Cajanus cajan L.) IN ASSOCIATION WITH FINGERMILLET (Eleusine coracana L.) CULTIVARS
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Date
2009
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Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Abstract
The information on intercropping of potential pigeonpea pulse crop
with new cultivars of fingermillet is very scanty. Hence in a process to
give a quantum boost to total productivity of monsoonal rainfed upland
crop, the present experiment was planned to assess the biological
potential and economical viability of pigeonpea as base crop in
association with fingermillet cultivars as intercrop for agro-climatic zone
of Eastern Plateau region of the country.
The field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years at
Birsa Agricultural University, Farm, Ranchi during Kharif (rainy) season
of 2005 and 2006 on a representative sandy loam rainfed upland
(belonging to the red–yellow-light-grey catenary soil association group)
representing major soil group of Jharkhand, receiving about 1350 mm of
annual rainfall, 85 per cent is received between mid June to mid
September. The main objective was to select suitable and sustainable
intercropping system of pigeonpea in association with compatible new
cultivars of fingermillet in place of dominant mono-cropping system.
Under this investigation, pigeonpea (cv.BR-65) was taken as base
crop and three cultivars of fingermillet (short duration cv. Birsa marua -
1, medium duration cv. HR-374 and long duration cv. PR-202) in sole as
well as in intercrop were taken. The experiment was conducted in
Randomised Block Design with three replications and sixteen treatment
combinations consisting pigeonpea and three cultivars of fingermillet in
sole cropping and four intercropping treatments of pigeonpea +
fingermillet under 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 row ratios with short, medium
and long duration cultivars of fingermillet.
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The important findings of the experiment are:
From the two consecutive years of experimentation, growth, yield
attributes and yield of component crops in intercropping system were
reduced as compared to their sole cropping. In intercropping, association
of pigeonpea + fingermillet (SD) 1:1 row proportion performed better in
producing higher pigeonpea equivalent yield (13.13 qha-1) which was
followed by pigeonpea + fingermillet (MD) 1:1 row proportion. Association
of pigeonpea either with short duration or medium duration fingermillet
having 46 per cent (LER = 1.46) and 42 per cent (LER = 1.42) land
advantage was biologically more suitable systems with their better
mutual co-hesiveness. Maximum reduction in pigeonpea equivalent yield
was recoded under pigeonpea + fingermillet 1:4 row ratio due to higher
plant density of fingermillet.
Data on relative crowding co-efficient (RCC) revealed that in
intercropping system short duration fingermillet cultivar performed
better than medium and long duration ones. Competitive ratio (CR) was
recorded minimum under pigeonpea + fingermillet 1:1 row proportion
with short, medium and long duration cultivars of fingermillet.
Association of short duration fingermillet with pigeonpea under
1:1 row proportion also accounted for the maximum net returns (Rs.
15,090.5 ha-1) and benefit: cost ratio (2.31). It has fairly good monetary
advantage of Rs. 6,203.8 ha-1 and closely followed by pigeonpea +
fingermillet (MD) 1:1 row proportion. However, maximum reduction in
net returns and benefit: cost ratio was found under pigeonpea +
fingermillet in 1:4 row proportion.
Performance of growth and yield attributes of pigeonpea and
fingermillet was better in pigeonpea + fingermillet 1:1 row ratio due to
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higher availability of light and less competition between two component
crops for space and nutrients.
Higher available soil moisture under alternate row intercropping
system resulted in higher yield of both the component crops. However,
maximum reduction in soil moisture under 1:4 row ratio resulted in
lower yield due to more competition for moisture at higher plant density
and therefore was not found suitable crop combination in intercropping
system.
The uptake of three major plant nutrients (NPK) was higher in sole
cropping as compared to their uptake in individual component crop in
intercropping system. Total uptake of nitrogen (80.55 kg ha-1) was higher
under pigeonpea + fingermillet (MD) 1:1 row proportion whereas that of
phosphorus (14.74 kg ha-1) and potassium (108.05 kg ha-1) was higher
under sole crop of long duration fingermillet. The available nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium of soil (195.13, 12.68 and 146.78 kg ha-1 ,
respectively) were higher under sole stand of pigeonpea as compared to
sole fingermillet and intercropping combinations. Association of
pigeonpea with short duration fingermillet in 1:1 row proportion in
intercropping system maintained the soil fertility as compared to sole
stand of fingermillet. Higher nutrient content in soil under pigeonpea
with short duration fingermillet (1:1) appeared to be more suitable for
maintaining soil health.
Finally, from the above observations, it may be concluded that
association of pigeonpea with short and medium duration fingermillet in
1:1 row proportion was biologically sustainable and economically viable
system with a better economic returns and also maintained the fertility
status of soil under rainfed upland condition.
Description
BIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF PIGEONPEA (Cajanus cajan L.) IN ASSOCIATION WITH FINGERMILLET (Eleusine coracana L.) CULTIVARS
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