Productivity and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum) + chickpea (Cicer arietinum) intercropping under irrigation and nutrient management

A field experiment was conducted during 2012–13 and 2013–14 on a silty clay-loam soil of Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, to study the productivity and economics of wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.]+ chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) intercropping under irrigation and nutrient management. Growth, yield attributes, grain and straw yields of wheat and chickpea were affected significantly with irrigation and nutrient-management practices. The irrigated condition resulted in higher wheat-equivalent yield and benefit: cost ratio over rainfed condition. Integrated nutrient management (INM), being statistically at par with organic nutrient management, recorded the highest wheat-equivalent yield over inorganic nutrient management and farmer's practice. Organic nutrient management recorded higher net returns (32.6 × 10³/ha), whereas INM recorded higher benefit: cost ratio (1.92). Higher values of available nitrogen (215.3 kg/ha), phosphorus (37.1 kg/ha) and potassium (177.3 kg/ha) in soil were recorded in INM than the other nutrient-management practices.