Competitive ability of legume based intercrop for rabi maize (Zea mays L.) in north eastern ghats of Odisha Sain Souvik, Maitra Sagar, Shankar Tanmoy, Sairam Masina* Department of Agronomy, M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi-761 211 (Odisha), India *(e mail: sairam.masina@cutm.ac.in)
Online published on 2 August, 2023. Abstract Maize is a versatile cereal crop that offers enough scope for adoption of intercropping system. Inclusion of legumes as intercrops with maize offers numerous benefits such as enhancement of productivity from unit area, crop diversification, efficient resource use and agricultural sustainability. Based on the above facts, an experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2021-22 at Post-graduate Research Farm M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Odisha, India. The experiment was designed in completely randomized block design comprising 12 treatments of maize intercropped in uniform row (UR) and paired rows (PR) with chickpea and field pea. The intercrops were laid out in various row ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 2:2 and 2:3 in comparison with sole crops in uniform and paired rows. The experimental results revealed that the sole maize uniform row (5857 kg/ha) and sole maize paired row (5789 kg/ha) had performed superior to intercropped maize in terms of maize grain yield. However, the higher land equivalent ratio, area time equivalent ratio and monetary advantage were obtained in maize-legume intercropping systems. Maize UR + chickpea (1:2) resulted in the highest net returns and benefit: cost ratio. The study concluded that intercropping maize UR + chickpea (1:2) can be adopted in rabi maize cultivation under south Odisha conditions for more profitability and agricultural sustainability. Top Keywords Additive series, Chickpea, Competition functions, Field pea, Intercropping, Maize. Top |