Dry Matter Accumulation, Yield and Economics of Maize Cultivation as Influenced by Mixed Stands of Maize + Vegetable Legumes

Maize (Zea mays L.), the queen of cereals, has a versatile use as food, feed, and industrial purpose, and the area under maize has been increasing in India in recent times. As a widely spaced crop, it offers the provision of adoption for the intercropping system without reducing the optimum plant stand in additive series. Based on the above facts, a field experiment was conducted during the summer of 2021 on intercropping maize with vegetable legumes at the Experimental Farm of Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising nine treatments and replicated thrice. The results of the research revealed that the dry matter accumulation (g m^–2) of maize and legumes was significantly affected at different growth stages. In the case of biological yield, a higher value was obtained in sole maize. It was statistically at par with maize + cluster bean (2:3). In Terms of Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) and Area Time Equivalent Ratio (ATER), the values obtained in all the intercropped treatments were more significant than unity, and this clearly showed that intercropping was advantageous. The economics of the intercropping systems showed that the highest cost of cultivation was recorded in maize + cluster bean (2:3). However, in the case of a gross return, the net return, and B:C ratio, the higher value was noted in 2:3 row proportion of maize intercropped with cowpea followed by sole cowpea and maize + cluster bean (2:3). The study indicated that intercropping 2:3 row proportion of maize + vegetable legumes was advantageous over a pure stand of maize in terms of biomass production and economic importance.

• In wide maize, legumes can easily be incorporated as intercrops in an additive series of intercropping systems without reducing the plant stand of maize compared to its pure cultivation.

• Intercropping legumes in maize showed higher productivity, greater resource utilization, and higher economic return than a monoculture of maize.