Crop geometry and intercropping of legume and oilseed in irrigated pearlmillet

Pearlmillet is conventionally cultivated by farmers either broadcasting or uniform row spacing of 45 cm where it is difficult to accommodate an intercrop. Modified planting pattern provides additional space for intercrop component as well as harvest better solar energy in the system.

The field experiment was conducted in Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during Kharif (July-October) of 2019. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and were replicated thrice. Different crop geometry viz. 45 × 15 cm, 60 × 15 cm, 30/60 × 15 cm and 30/90 × 15 cm were adopted in main plots, whereas intercropping [S₁-Greengram, S₂-Sesame and S₃-No intercrop] were allotted in subplots.

Pearlmillet grown under paired row sowing 30/90 × 15 cm recorded higher growth attributes and yield parameters. Grain and stover yields was also recorded higher in the above-mentioned crop geometry. In intercropping system higher growth and yield parameters was observed in sole crop treatment and it was on par with greengram intercropping system. Pearlmillet grown under paired row sowing 30/90 × 15 cm (M₄) + greengram (S₁) recorded higher equivalent yield.