Feasibility of Vegetable Intercropping in Rustica Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.) Under Middle Gujarat Conditions

A field experiment was conducted at Bidi Tobacco Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat during rabi season of 2013–14. The experiment consisted of ten treatments comprising oftobacco + vegetable cropslike T₁ (Tobacco Alone), T₂ (Tobacco + Cabbage, 1: 2), T₃ (Tobacco + Cauliflower, 1: 2), T₄ (Tobacco + Onion, 1: 2), T₅ (Tobacco + Garlic, 1: 3), T₆ (Tobacco + Radish, 1: 3), T₇ (Tobacco + Beet, 1: 3), T₈ (Tobacco + Fennugreek, 1: 9), T₉ (Tobacco + Spinach, 1: 3) and T₁₀ (Tobacco + Coriander, 1: 3) was tried out in a RBD with four replications. Cured leaf yield (3633 kg ha⁻¹) of tobacco was significantly higher with tobacco + garlic over sole tobacco. Tobacco equivalent yield (7762 kg ha⁻¹) was significantly the highest with tobacco + spinach over sole tobacco. Increase in tobacco equivalent yield was 154% over rest of the treatments including sole tobacco. Net return (213678 ha⁻¹) was higher with tobacco + spinach with 1: 2.9 BCR ratio. It was concluded that higher tobacco equivalent yield and net returns could be achieved with tobacco + spinach, an economical viable intercropping system for tobacco belt of Middle Gujarat.