Economic Viability of Multitier Cropping System for Intensive Rainfed Farming in Eastern Ghat Highland Zone of Odisha

A field experiment was conducted at Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute (CSWCRTI), Research Center in Koraput district of Odisha (2007–2010). The experiment had treatments consisting of the combinations of fruit tree papaya (Carica papaya) and drumstick (Moringa oleifera) with boundary plantation of forest shrub i.e. Gliricidia sepium with its green leaf manuring to plots. Four crop combinations (ginger + pigeonpea (8:2), runner bean+ pigeonpea (8:2), ragi+ pigeonpea (6:2) and pure ragi broadcasting) were tested on 2 percent slope. The treatments were set split plot design replicated thrice. Periodical pruning of the boundary hedge Gliricidia and its manuring in plots significantly influenced no. of fruits tree⁻¹ by 14.3 and 13.4 percent; average fruit wt. by 14.3 and 13.4 percent and yield tree⁻¹ year⁻¹ by 15.6 and 13.5 in papaya and drumstick, respectively. Papaya and drumstick trees raised in ginger: pigeonpea (8:2) intercropping system significantly improved their yield by 68 and 9.4 percent in comparison to ragi broadcasted plots. Among tested intercrop combinations maximum yield of 11.83 was recorded for ginger + pigeonpea (8:2) which is significantly higher to other intercrop ratios. Among four tested crop combinations ginger + pigeonpea (8:2) recorded the maximum pigeonpea equivalent yield of 11.83 qha⁻¹. Among 24 tested systems ragi: pigeonpea (6:2) intercropping in drumstick based multitier system gave maximum BCR values of 3.15 with Gliricidia and 2.92 without Gliricidia, respectively. Less than 1 value of B: C ratio in ragi broadcasting indicates total loss to farmers. This paper proposes different multitier cropping models that for intensive rainfed farming area of eastern ghat highland zone large, medium and small farmer can adopt suitable multitier cropping system as per the resource availability.