INTERCROPPING OF GROUNDNUT WITH MINOR MILLETS ON ALFISOLS OF NORTHERN TRANSITION ZONE OF KARNATAKA
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Date
2015-07
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad
Abstract
The field experiment was conducted at Saidapur farm, Main Agriculture Research
Station, Dharwad on Alfisols during kharif season of 2014 to study the effect of intercropping
of groundnut with minor millets viz., foxtail millet, finger millet and little millet under different
row proportions. Millets were intercropped with groundnut at different row proportions (2:1 and
4:2) along with three sole treatments of millets and groundnut.
Growth parameter of groundnut viz., leaf area, leaf area index, total dry matter
production and yield attributing characters viz., number of pods per plant, pods weight per
plant and test weight were significantly higher in 4:2 row ratios of groundnut + millets
intercropping systems compared to respective sole cropping. Sole groundnut recorded
significantly higher pod yield (3047 kg ha-1) and haulm yield (4147 kg ha-1) over intercropping
systems. Yield components such as number of tillers, grain weight per panicle, number of
panicles and test weight were significantly higher in groundnut + millet intercropping
treatments in 4:2 row ratios. Sole finger millet recorded significantly higher yield attributing
characters, grain yield (2628 kg ha-1) and haulm yield (3028 kg ha-1) than other cropping
systems.
The highest Groundnut Pod Equivalent Yield (GPEY), Land Equivalent Ratio (LER)
and Area Time Equivalent Ratio (ATER) were recorded with groundnut + finger millet (2916 kg
ha-1, 1.22 and 1.17 respectively) followed by foxtail millet (2792 kg ha-1, 1.21 and 1.13
respectively) in 4:2 row ratio. Net and gross returns were significantly higher in sole groundnut
(` 1,26,857 ha-1 and ` 83,778 ha-1). However it is on par with 4:2 row ratios of groundnut +
finger millet (` 1,21,584 ha-1 and ` 80,497 ha-1 gross and net returns respectively). Maximum
benefit: Cost ratio was realized with groundnut + finger millet in 4:2 row ratio (2.96), whereas it
was on par with sole groundnut (2.94).
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