System productivity, profitability and competition indices of horsegram intercropping under rainfed condition

A field experiment was conducted during 2005 and 2006 at the Experimental Farm of Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, India to evaluate horsegram based intercropping systems with other commonly grown rainy season crops. Four intercropping systems, viz., horsegram + maize (green cobs) (2:1), horsegram + finger millet (1:1), horsegram + pigeonpea (1:1), horsegram + barnyard millet (1:1) intercropping under replacement series were evaluated in comparison to sole horsegram. Improvement in plant height, pods/plant, grains/plant, grain weight/plant and horsegram equivalent yield (HEY) were recorded in intercropping over sole horsegram. Among intercropping systems, HEY was highest in horsegram + maize (1.62 t/ha) during 2005 and in horsegram + finger millet (1.99 t/ha) during 2006. However, lowest HEY was recorded in horsegram + barnyard millet. Light penetration was also improved under intercropping (1.3% in sole horsegram to 6.9% in horsegram + finger millet) which provided better growth and development of lower crop canopy and pods. Net return (Rs. 7 526/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.34) were highest under horsegram + finger millet followed by horsegram + maize. The values of land equivalent ratio (LER) was higher than unity (1.21–1.39) in all intercropping systems which showed yield advantage following intercropping. Similarly, competition indices like relative crowding coefficient (RCC), aggressivity, competition ratio and monetary advantage were higher under horsegram + finger millet followed by horsegram + maize. Soil available N and P also increased under intercropping over solitary system. Thus, horsegram + finger millet (1:1) was found suitable for cultivation over traditional sole system under hilly agro-ecosystem in India.