Feasibility of flower crops under coconut based cropping system in coastal ecosystem of Maharashtra State
Abstract
Field experiment carried out at ICAR-AICRP on palms at Regional Coconut Research Station Bhatye, Dr. B.S. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri (MS) during 2013 to 2015 with flower crop combinations of T1-coconut alone (monocrop), T2-coconut + Jasminum sambac, T3-coconut + Jasminum multiflorum, T4-coconut + Lily spp., T5-coconut + Heliconia spp. and T6-coconut + Michelia champaka, according to two years of data, showed that the lily flower recorded 1683811 numbers of spikes ha−1, Jasminum multiflorum recorded 48656 kg ha−1, Heliconia spp. recorded 96982.5 number of spikes ha−1, Jasminum Sambac recorded 1123.2 kg ha−1 follwed by Michelia champaka with only 12690 number of flowers only. In respect of economics, coconut +Lily spp. system recorded the highest gross return of Rs. 12, 19, 962/-ha-1 followed by Rs. 7, 63, 197/-in coconut + Jasminum multiflorum system. Coconut +Heliconia spp. recorded Rs. 6, 37, 495.25, coconut +Jasminum sambac Rs. 553102.53 and coconut +Michelia champaka the minimum gross return of Rs. 255672.00. The gross income realised in the monocropping of coconut was of Rs. 195300.00. The coconut nut yield realised during 2014–15 in the intercropping garden was 165 nuts palm−1 year−1 whereas in monocropping it was 96 nuts palm−1 year−1.
Keywords
Coconut, intercropping, flower crops, lily, heliconia
