1Department of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, Seacom Skills University, Kendradangal, Birbhum, West Bengal, India
2Centre for Advanced Studies on Climate Change, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, India
3Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal, India
*Corresponding author: ramyajitmondal93@gmail.com
A field experiment was conducted during pre-kharif season (February to May) of 2023 and 2024 at Instructional Farm of Seacom Skills University, Kendradangal, Bolpur, West Bengal, India to assess the different ratio of intercropping system on growth and yield of maize and green gram over sole cropping. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications comprising 8 different combinations of intercropping of maize and green gram. As per the results, different growth parameters, crop growth rate along with nodulation pattern, yield parameters in green gram recorded significantly superior values in alternate rows of green gram and maize growing plots. Maize crop also showed such significant variation among different treatments regarding growth parameters a alongside yield attributes where higher values were recorded in alternate rows of green gram and maize in the experiment like in green gram. Highest grain (5150 kg ha-1) and stover yield (6170 kg ha-1) of maize along with quiet good seed yield (428 kg ha-1) of green gram was also observed in the same treatment mentioned for growth and yield parameters of both the crops. In maize, alternate rows of green gram and maize treatment recorded highest LER (1.05) where corresponding LER of green gram was 0.64 and their total being 1.69. Maximum gross return, net return and B:C ratio had been received in the treatment where maize and green gram were grown in alternate rows. Thus, in such intercropping system, alternate rows of green gram and maize where 50 % space of land could be shared by both crops and could be recommended for the farming community of this region.
⓿ Cultivation of dual crops (cereal + legume) rather than single cropping add beneficial elements in soil as well as increasing the sustainability.
⓿ It is a suitable replacement to summer rice especially in such areas of red and lateritic zone.
⓿ It helps to identify a long term suitable option in climate changing scenarios.
Green gram, maize, growth, intercropping, LER, yield, CER, economics
