Productivity of groundnut cum blackgram based intercropping system under different crop ratios

To meet the requirements of sustainable growth for feeding the increasing population in a changing world, farmers and scientists have developed many eco-agricultural practices. Although researchers have developed many eco-agricultural techniques, there remain challenges in terms of integrating their advantages and overcoming their limitations. Here we advocate the intercropping of groundnut and blackgram with different crop ratios to study the production potential and economics of groundnut cum black-gram based intercropping system.

The experiment was laid out in 2020-2021 with random block design consisting twelve treatments comprising of groundnut as base crop and blackgram as intercrop in the replacement series or crop ratios of 3:1, 3:2, 4:1, 4:2, 5:1, 5:2, 6:1, 6:2, 7:1, 7:2 row proportions and their sole crops viz., groundnut and blackgram. Each treatment is replicated thrice.

The productivity in terms of groundnut yield was significantly higher with 4:1 replacement series followed by 6:1 and 7:1 than other replacement series. The biological efficiency in terms of LER and ATER were also recorded maximum values and indicated a modest aggressivity and CR and gave a good value for the product of RCC with 4:1 followed by 6:1 and 7:1. The economics of the systems also indicates that groundnut + blackgram with replacement series of 4:1 was most profitable system in terms of gross return, net return, B:C ratio and MER followed by 6:1 and 7:1.