Studies on Productivity of Finger millet Based Intercropping System
Loading...
Date
1997
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi
Abstract
Studies on finger millet based intercropping system were made in field experiment conducted during kharif 1994 on representative Sandyloam upland soils (Bihar plateau) at Birsa Agricultural University farm, Ranchi with main objectives of introducing a sustainable intercropping system in place of dominant monocropping system in rainfed uplands. The average rainfall of area is about 1365 mm. most of which received between mid June to mid September Under this investigation fingermillet (Birsa marua -1) was taken as based crop and pigeonpea (BR-65) was taken as intercrop with fingermillet.
The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three (3) replications and eleven (11) treatment combinations consisting of three sole cropping (fingermillet drilled, fingermillet transplanted and pigeonpea), four (4) fingermillet drilled+ pigeonpea (3:1), fingermillet drilled + pigeonpea (4:1), fingermillet drilled + pigeonpea (6:2) and fingermillet drilled+ pigeonpea (8:2) and four (4) fingermillet transplanted + pigeonpea (3:1), fingermillet transplanted+pigeonpea (6.2) and fingermillet transplanted + pigeonpea (8:2) row ratios in intercropping system.
Reduction in growth and yield attributing characters (plant high and tillers plant weight ear, grain ear and 1000 grain weight) of fingermillet in intercropping system was higher than sole cropping. It was evident from the data on relative crowding co-efficient and competitive ratio which revealed more competition in intercropping between component crops
Better growth and yield attributing characters (plant height and branching plant pods plant and 100 seed weight) of pigeonpea was recorded under sole crop as compared to intercropping system where two component crops exerted more competition for light, moisture and nutrient. This was also evident from the lower yield of pigeonpea in intercropping system.
Crop growth and yield attributes of fingermillet was also influenced by methods of establishment. Better growth and yield components were obtained under transplanted fingermillet than drilled fingermillet. It was evident from higher yield of fingermillet under transplanted condition than drilled condition. Higher reduction in growth and yield attributes of pigeonpea was found with transplanted fingermillet which established earlier and adversely affected the growth of pigeonpea as compared to drilled fingermillet with pigeonpea treatment combinations in intercropping system.
The yield advantage of intercropping was also enhanced by changing the row proportion of the component crops. Maximum land equivalent ratio (1.37) and relative crowding co-efficient (22.85) was obtained with fingermillet transplanted + pigeonpea (6:2) row ratio which was followed by fingermillet transplanted + pigeonpea (3:1) row ratio in intercropping system than rest of the treatments.
Grain yield of fingermillet was reduced in intercropping as compared to sole cropping. Reduction in growth and yield attributing characters of fingermillet was adversely affected the grain yield in intercropping system.
Maximum fingermillet equivalent yield (15.67 q ha') and net return Rs. 2179 ha was obtained under fingermillet transplanted+pigeonpea (6:2) row ratio in intercropping. This was followed by fingermillet transplanted + pigeonpea (3:1) and fingermillet transplanted + pigeonpea (4:1) row ratio, respectively, than rest of the treatment combinations.