Effect of fertilizer levels on growth and yield of turmeric (curcuma longa L.) + sweet corn (zea mays saccharata L.) intercropping system
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Date
2022-12-30
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Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani
Abstract
The present investigation entitled ‘Effect of fertilizer levels on growth and yield of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) + Sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata L.) intercropping system’ was conducted during two consecutive years of 2020-21 and 2021-2022 at Experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani in Marathwada region of Maharashtra state. The topography of the experimental field was uniform, levelled and well drained. The soil of experimental site was clayey in texture. The chemical composition of soil was low in organic carbon, available nitrogen and available phosphorous and very high in available potassium. The soil was moderately alkaline in reaction.
The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The present investigation consisted of twelve treatment combinations. Treatments details consist of (intercropping systems) in main plot – i.e. I1- Sole Turmeric, I2- Sole Sweet corn, I3- Turmeric + Sweet corn (2:1), I4- Turmeric + Sweet corn (1:1) in main plot and in sub plot three fertility levels- i.e. F1-100% RDF (200:100:100 NPK kg ha-1), F2-125% RDF (250: 125: 125 NPK kg ha-1) and F3-150% RDF (300: 150: 150 NPK kg ha-1). The treatments were allotted randomly in each replication.
The turmeric and sweet corn were sown on 11-07-2020 and 15-06-2021 during year 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. Biometric observations on growth parameters, yield attributes, fresh rhizome yield, dry rhizome yield of turmeric, growth attributes, yield attributes and yield of sweet corn and growth attributes, yield attributes and yield of chickpea was also recorded. The various economics indices in respect of monetary returns and benefit to cost ratio, turmeric equivalent yield, land equivalent ratio, area time equivalent ratio, aggressivity and competition ratio were also calculated during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively.
The results of investigation revealed that during 2020-21 and 2021-22, among intercropping, sole turmeric recorded higher growth attributes viz., pseudo stem height (cm), number of functional leaves plant-1, leaf area (dm2), number of tillers plant-1, dry matter accumulation plant-1 (g) and leaf area index. Yield attributes like number of mother rhizomes, number of primary rhizomes, ratio of primary to mother rhizomes, fresh weight of rhizome plant-1 and yield i.e. fresh rhizome yield (t ha-1), dry rhizome yield (t ha-1) which was significantly superior in sole turmeric over other intercropping systems. However, Turmeric equivalent yield, GMR, NMR, B:C ratio and intercropping indices like LER, ATER, aggressivity and CR was higher in turmeric + sweet corn (2:1) intercropping systems.
During both the years of investigation, among fertilizer levels, application of 150% RDF-300:150:150 NPK kg ha-1 (F3) recorded significantly superior growth attributes viz., pseudo stem height (cm), number of functional leaves plant-1, leaf area (dm2), number of tillers plant-1, dry matter accumulation plant-1 (g) and leaf area index. Yield attributes like number of mother rhizomes, number of primary rhizomes, ratio of primary to mother rhizomes, fresh weight of rhizome plant-1 and yield i.e. fresh rhizome yield (t ha-1), dry rhizome yield (t ha-1) and economics i.e. GMR, NMR, B:C ratio which was significantly superior over 125% RDF-250:125:125 NPK kg ha-1 (F2) and 100% RDF- 200:100:100 NPK kg ha-1 (F1), but at par with application of 250:125:125 NPK kg ha-1 (F2). The lower growth attributes, yield attributes, yield and economics was recorded with application 100% RDF-200:100:100 NPK kg ha-1 (F1).