Performance of Prominent Inter cropping Systems under various Tillage Practices in Vertisols of Marathwada Region

A field study was conducted at the experimental cum research farm, AICRP on Dryland Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani (Maharashtra) during 2011 to 2016 on a deep Vertisols. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replication and three prominent intercropping systems i.e. Sorghum + pigeon pea (4: 2), Soybean + pigeon pea (4: 2) and Bt cotton + soybean (1: 1) and five tillage practices i.e. shallow tillage with bullock drawn implements, convectional tillage with bullock drawn implements, shallow tillage with tractor drawn implements, convectional tillage with tractor drawn implements and tillage with rotary tillers. Bt cotton + soybean intercropping system recorded significantly superior seed Bt cotton equivalent yield than other cropping systems. Soybean + pigeon pea and sorghum + pigeon pea recorded at par seed cotton equivalent yield. Among tillage practices, shallow tillage with tractor drawn implements recorded significantly higher seed cotton equivalent yield than Conventional tillage with bullock drawn implement, conventional tillage with tractor drawn implements and tillage with rotary tillers and found to be at par with shallow tillage with bullock drawn and Bt cotton + soybean in combination with shallow tillage with tractor drawn implement recorded significantly higher seed cotton equivalent yield than other cropping system. Gross monetary, net monetary returns and B: C ratio in Bt cotton + soybean in combination with shallow tillage with tractor drawn implement was found significant.