Department of Agronomy, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur 313 001.
*Present address: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Post Box No. 42, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345 001.
A field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 2003 and 2004 at Udaipur, to study the effect of row ratios and fertility levels on maize (Zea mays L.) + soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] inercropping system in south Rajasthan. The highest maize-equivalent yield was observed with 2:2 maize + soybean intercropping sown at 30 at 30 cm distance with each other. Application of 75% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) to maize (90 kg N/ha and 40 kg P/ha) and 50% to soybean (60 kg N/ha and 40 kg P/ha) significantly increased their respective yields, maize-equivalent yield, net returns and benefit: cost ratios over 50% RDF in maize and no fertilizer in soybean. The nutrient uptake by maize was highest with 1:1 ratio, while by soybean it was with 3:3 ratios. Increasing levels of fertility to maize and soybean up to 100% recommended dose increased the total nutrient uptake significantly over 75 and 50% in the both crops in intercropping system.
Maize+soybean inercropping, Row ratio, Fertility levels, Maize equivalent yield, Nutrient uptake
